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The Traditional American Holiday Seafood Meal
According to Harper’s Bazaar (and literally everyone that watches the show), the most hectic episode of The Bear so far was “Fishes,” a storyline about the Berzatto family’s wild holiday tradition. For the Bear-unbaptized, “Fishes” is an episode about the Feast of the Seven Fishes, a traditional Christmas Eve dinner held by Italian-American families. This event may be the most iconic example of a Christmas Eve dinner in the midwestern United States (The Bear is based in Chicago), but did you know that many regions of the country have their own similar Christmas Eve seafood tradition? Here’s a guide to an Italian-American Christmas Eve in the midwest and other seafood feasts throughout the country.
What Is the Feast of the Seven Fishes?
The Feast of the Seven Fishes, first and foremost, evolved from the Roman Catholic tradition of avoiding meat and dairy products on the night before holy days. For Italian-Americans, seven is a holy number, leading to seven courses on Christmas Eve, and the practice of skipping meat and dairy — along with a homeland with abundant seafood — turned into seven courses of fish. Some common dishes include baked fish, deep-friend calamari, oysters, crab cakes, and scallops. All are prepared differently, some as a pasta or a salad, and some just eaten on their own. This annual meal is a way for Italian-Americans to keep religion in mind on Christmas Eve and also to hold tight to their ancestry and connection with the sea.
Regional Christmas Eve Seafood Traditions
Of course, the Feast of the Seven Fishes isn’t the only seafood tradition held on Christmas Eve. Throughout the US, people enjoy their regional specialty seafood (though maybe not in so many courses). Here’s how different cultures celebrate with seafood on Christmas Eve.
Northeast U.S.
Is there any food more iconic in the Northeast than shellfish? Think items like lobster rolls, clam chowder, and baked stuffed shrimp. This part of the U.S. has a sizable amount of Portuguese residents; in those communities, you can expect to find bacalhau dishes on Christmas Eve. Bacalhau is a dried, salted codfish traditional to Portuguese cuisine. Expect to find it in hundreds of different preparation styles throughout the Northeast coast.
Gulf Coast
Along the Gulf Coast — the part of the U.S. that aligns with the Gulf of Mexico, including sections of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida — Christmas Eve is awash with shellfish in different preparations. Chilled Gulf oysters, crab cakes, shrimp boils… these are all common pre-holiday party foods. And don’t forget the southern-inspired dishes like seafood gumbo and shrimp and grits!
West Coast
On the west coast, fresh Pacific seafood is on the menu like salmon, tuna, and yellowfin. From Alaska down, you’ll find Dungeness crab, and once you get to San Francisco, expect another Italian tradition: cioppino. This tomato-based seafood stew was invented in the 1800s by fishermen working the San Francisco coast; it usually contains a variety of shellfish and firm-fleshed fish.
Southern & Cajun Influence
Head down south for the unique influence of Southern and Cajun cuisine, stuffed with bold, spicy flavors and so often started with a roux. In the inland parishes of Louisiana, expect seafood gumbo and seafood jambalaya. Louisiana — particularly Lafayette — is also known for crawfish, where you can have some in a massive crawfish boil or laid out onto a po’ boy for a handheld Christmas Eve treat.
Latin American Traditions
The United States wouldn’t be the same without a Latin American influence, and our fellow Latinx celebrants bring their fresh flavors and spice to the table for Christmas Eve. Latin communities have their own version of bacalao, where the cod is usually prepared in a stew. Shrimp soup is another traditional way to enjoy the coastal bounty, as well as myriad varieties of ceviche, where raw fish is cured with lime and mixed with other ingredients like avocado, cilantro, and onion.
Christmas Eve Seafood Dinners You Can Order Online
Don’t worry if you can’t make it to another region of the country for Christmas Eve, or if you already have a family tradition to follow. Goldbelly can deliver what you want to try, whether it’s a lobster dinner from Maine or a crab feast of Dungeness, king crab, and blue crab. And as a bonus, you can dine on these anytime! It doesn’t have to be relegated to the holidays. Or, if you’ve already got a set menu for Christmas Eve, why not try one of these specialties for Christmas dinner itself?
Whether you’re following a tried-and-true seafood tradition on Christmas Eve or creating your own Christmas Eve dinner ideas, Goldbelly has all the thalassic delights you could want. Order them right to your door on Christmas Eve for a day-of celebration.
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