Feast of the Seven Fishes - Teti Family Style

No real estate talk today, and if that's what you were looking for, I won't be offended if you stopped reading. Instead, given the time of year and the holiday season, I'd like to talk about something near and dear to my heart, outside of mortgages and real estate for a change.

Christmas Eve is one of my favorite days of the year because my family has celebrated with the Feast of the Seven Fishes dinner since I was born.

My family has deep Italian roots. My Grandpap Salvatore came over from Palena, Italy when he was a young boy, and eventually married my Grandma Enis, who's family (Pettinari) was also from Italy. Grandma and Grandpap are both watching over us from heaven now, but my family has continued one of the traditions that they brought with them from Italy - Feast of the Seven Fishes.

Now if you don't like fish, this won't be your favorite dinner. But the essence of how it comes together each Christmas Eve is the beautiful part of what it means to be a family. Which is why our guest list has grown to include 4 separate families, all of whom bring their own style and flare to the everlasting tradition.

The location has changed over the years - it was always at my grandparents house, then my wife and I started hosting for the past 5 years, and now this year my sister and her husband are hosting in their new house.

The menu has been curated over the years - not everyone loves smelts and baccala (more on those later), so we've gotten creative over the years to keep things interesting while keeping the spirit of the tradition alive. And everyone chips in and is assigned to bring some part of the menu.

But what has always stayed the same every year - the laughter, the storytelling, the hugs and kisses, the crazy kitchen, the homemade Teti wine, the Tony Teti dad jokes... and most importantly, the amount of love that is felt throughout the entire evening.

So what is the Feast of the Seven Fishes? I'm not going to bore you with a history lesson, so I'll hit some bullet points:

• Where did it come from? The tradition comes from Southern Italy where it's called "La Vigil", which commemorates the wait for the midnight birth of baby Jesus. Typically families eat dinner and then all go to midnight mass together.
• Why fish? In Roman Catholic tradition, people abstained from eating meat on the eve of any type of feast (in this case, Christmas). Which makes it ironic that we call it the Feast of the Seven Fishes because it's technically considered a grand meal or dinner, with Christmas Day being the actual feast.
• Why seven of them? This is a highly debated topic at the Teti dinner table, but many believe it comes from the Seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church. Others believe that it comes from the seven hills of Rome. A more modern belief is the relation to the number 7 and good luck for the upcoming new year.

*Bonus fact: the fishes traditionally used are considered cheap and simple because of the impoverished regions of Southern Italy in which the tradition stemmed from.

Regardless of how many fish we eat, or what type of fish we eat, or even the reason why we celebrate Seven Fishes, one thing is for certain... it's a family tradition that is much more than fish or Christmas Eve. It's the one time of year that we all get together to enjoy each other's company and be merry for the holiday season.

Here's an example of a menu if you joined our family's Seven Fishes feast.

1. Fish soup - not certain if this is a main fish dish in other families, but it's a big hit with ours. My wife Alexa has perfected it - fish stock with a tomato broth and orzo. Plus other secret ingredients that no one else will ever know.
2. Shrimp cocktail - why get too fancy with something that is perfect the way it is? Shrimp cocktail is a must have appetizer.
3. Tuna crostini - a more modern fish course, which is what I meant when I said that we've curated the menu over the years to keep it updated and fresh.
4. Baccala - you can't have Seven Fishes without baccala. It's cod that must be soaked in water that's frequently changed because of how salty it is (preservation). Traditionally served cold with a ton of garlic and lemon. My dad is the baccala gatekeeper, and he prepares it every year (both a normal and spicy version).
5. Smelts - a small fish (4 inches long) that is breaded and deep-fried... whole. Yes, I'm talking the head, tail, gills, everything! Many people at our dinner aren't fans, but I can't get enough.
6. Calamari - both rings and tentacles are a must! Cooked in red tomato sauce and served either alone or over spaghetti.
7. Spaghetti and clams - one of my favorite dishes. It's a common menu item that you'll see at any Italian restaurant. Something about the oil and clam sauce make it a crowd favorite every year.

The Feast of the Seven Fishes has stood the test of time in our family. It's something that we look forward to every year, and it gives us a little escape from the craziness and stress that comes with the holiday season.

If you made it this far, I want to thank you for allowing me to share this special tradition that my family celebrates.

And I love hearing about other family traditions around the holidays, so if you are willing, please comment and tell me about one of your family traditions that you do every year.

Family is a special thing, and every one is different, but no matter how crazy our families can be, we should all be very grateful that we have a group of people who love and support us unconditionally.

From my family to yours - we wish you a wonderful holiday filled with love, joy, peace, and new memories. And if you also celebrate the Seven Fishes, I hope you enjoy one of the best dinners of the year!

Buon Natale!