[from the Letters archive] Christmas Eve Dinner Cena della Vigilia di Natale Friday December 24, 2004 For many of us here in San Francisco, Christmas Eve represents the culmination of weeks of planning, travel, and preparations for Christmas Day. Celebrations of religious and personal faith are of course an important aspect of the holiday tradition here in America, as are last minute shopping followed by late-night toy assembly and gift-wrapping sessions. Ultimately, families and friends gather to celebrate the season, the end of another year, and each other. We're pleased to have the opportunity to share with you this evening another Christmas Eve tradition, one that originated in Italy but has, in true American fashion, been more fully realized by millions of Italian-Americans (particularly those of Southern Italian origin – incidentally this is where the ancestors of Incanto's chef, owner, and sommelier all come from), here in the United States.  This tradition is known as The Feast of the Seven Fishes, it involves eating a grand dinner comprised of seven types of fish. Like many aspects of Italian culture, the tradition of mangiare di magro, eating fish on the Friday prior to a religious holiday, was institutionalized by the Catholic Church, as a way of remembering the crucifixion of Christ. Without delving too far off course and into ancient history, many scholars suggest that the Church adapted the practice eating fish on Fridays from a pre-Christian tradition, one that celebrated the Babylonian goddess of peace, joy, and fertility, "Freya," whose name gives us the root of the Indo-European word "Friday." Fish were celebrated as a symbol of fertility for their prolific ability to lay eggs (a single fish may produce hundreds of thousands or millions of eggs per year). Romans, who believed that the planet Venus ruled the first hour of Friday, continued this tradition by celebrating Friday as the sacred day for Venus, the goddess of love and fertility. The Latin phrase dies Veneris, meaning "Day of Venus," gives us the modern Italian word venerdi, meaning "Friday." To complete the significance, Venus was of course frequently portrayed with a fish as her sacred symbol. While its religious significance still exists, the practice of eating fish on Fridays has (like Christmas itself) crossed over into secular life.  It is tradition throughout Italy to eat seafood on Christmas Eve. And while families from different parts of Italy may eat quite different types or quantities of fish on Christmas Eve (remember, Italy wasn't a country until 1861) two fish most traditionally found on Christmas Eve menus across Italy are baccalà (salted cod) and anguilla (eel). We are not quite certain when the Feast of the Seven Fishes became a part of Christmas Eve tradition, or precisely what it represents.  We believe the tradition of a grand, multi-course Christmas Eve dinner may have begun in the fifth or sixth centuries, when the pope said three masses on Christmas Eve and wherever he went, an ornate banquet was set out. The number seven carries great significance, perhaps representing the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church, the seven days of creation, the seven days it took Mary and Joseph to reach Bethlehem, the seven of the twelve Apostles who were fishermen, or even the seven hills of Rome.  Of course, it wouldn't be Italian without dissent, and therefore some regions of Italy require three courses (the Trinity), nine courses (the Trinity times three), twelve courses (the Apostles), thirteen courses (the Apostles, plus Jesus), or even 25 (for the days in the Christmas season). For those of you inclined to experience this tradition firsthand, tonight's dinner menu incorporates a total of ten different types of seafood. Whatever you dine upon, we are extremely honored that you chose to share this evening with us. We wish you and your loved ones a healthy, joyous, and peaceful holiday season!