Celebrating the feast of seven fishes

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The first time Italian transplant Stefano Frigerio prepared the feast of the seven fishes for his wife's family, his American father-in-law opted for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

"I found out at dinnertime, with my seven fishes laid down on the table, that no one eats fish," said Mr. Frigerio, who married into a Front Royal, Va., family two years ago. "My father-in-law looked at me and said, 'The only thing I eat that swims is catfish, deep fried.' "

Mr. Frigerio, on the other hand, grew up eating pretty much anything that swims. At least on Christmas Eve, when Italy's Roman Catholics -- and now many Italians and Italian-Americans in general -- celebrate with a feast of fish that probably dates from the fifth or sixth century.

The celebration is rooted in the Catholic tradition of eschewing meat on various days of the year. What's less clear is when or why the number of courses was set at seven.

Some scholars and cooks say it is for the seven sacraments. Or for the seven sins. Or virtues. Perhaps for the seven days of the creation story. Or for Mary and Joseph's seven-day journey to Bethlehem.

"All of these types of holidays tend to have a lot of bad folklore around them," said dining historian Carolin Young. "Five different towns will claim they created it."

Eel is a mainstay of the meal for Romans, and the traditional salted cod known as baccala is widely eaten as part of the meal. That's where predictability ends; anything from humble smelts and sardines to lobster and caviar might make an appearance.

Adding to the confusion, seven is sometimes just a starting point. Many families cook nine fish (the Holy Trinity times three), 11 (the 12 Apostles minus Judas), or 13 (the Apostles plus Jesus). Others simply stop counting once they hit seven.

"They just use it as an excuse to have more fish or less fish," said Mr. Frigerio, who makes at least seven (but never 13).

The Di Pascale family of Delran, N.J., opts for more, blanketing the table with everything from fried smelts to langostines and crab legs, additions made as the family's successful gourmet deli business grew.