This town celebrates Christmas with an Italian-American feast

New York Post ^ | 12/23/2017 | Salena Zito

[Old Teufel Hunden]

PITTSBURGH — It’s just after 6 o’clock in the morning, but Joseph Sabino Mistick is already on his second cappuccino and is now buying a round for everyone who just walked into La Prima Espresso coffee shop.

“Misticks for all of them!” the former deputy mayor of Pittsburgh says to the barista. (The hot creamy creation with an extra sprinkle of cocoa is named after him.)

It’s dark and frigid outside, but inside this tiny espresso bar the room is bursting with rich aromas, chatter and excitement as patrons start planning their traditional day of shopping for cena della Vigilia — or, as the vigil is more commonly known, the Feast of the Seven Fishes.

It is a celebration whose origins date back to ancient southern Italy, said Sabino Mistick. “It goes back to the Roman Catholic custom of abstaining from meat on the eve of holidays including Christmas.”

“You can see the connection in several Catholic traditions. You have the seven sacraments, the seven days of the creation and, well, the seven deadly sins, too,” he chuckles

[Old Teufel Hunden]

Once again, Salena Zito truly captures what it means to be a Pittsburgher, someone from the rustbelt of the Midwest. She is one of my favorite columnists and in this article she is correct, a lot of differences can be resolved over a Christmas meal. Many of us will be having Christmas and New Years meals with family and friends and some of them will be across the political divide. Yet we can still come together, break bread and maybe even discuss our differences. Merry Christmas to all!!

[Liz]

Rao's Seafood Salad.

Feast of the Seven Fishes traditionally consists of seven different seafood dishes eaten on Christmas Eve. At Rao’s a famous NYC eatery's Las Vegas Caesars Palace location, the Italian tradition continues with three courses served on Christmas Eve and Christmas day.

The Vigilia di Natale, as it’s known, features a choice of appetizer, pasta and entree for $65. Here’s a look at what you can get.

For an appetizer, choose from baked Little Neck clams stuffed with seasoned bread crumbs; deep-fried calamari, shrimp, cod and julienne zucchini with remoulade and marinara sauce; a seafood salad made with crab, shrimp, calamari and lobster along with diced celery, Gaeta olives and parsley in a citronette; Baccalla salad made with salted cod tossed with sweet cherry peppers, capers and olives in a lemon dressing; or octopus salad with celery, fingerling potatoes and octopus tossed in a warm lemon vinaigrette.

For the pasta dish, you have three choices — linguine and clams tossed with garlic, white wine and parsley and topped with tomatoes; lobster Fra Divolo in a spicy marinara sauce or Tagliolini Fruiti Di Mare with a mix of clams, mussels, calamari, scallops and shrimp in a light tomato sauce.

As an entree, choose from shrimp scampi, shrimp Fra Diavolo, fillet of sole Francaise with sautéed fennel in a white wine and butter sauce and salmon Beurre Blanc over sautéed spinach.

Rao’s is located at Caesars Palace, 3570 Las Vegas Blvd. S. For reservations, call 702-731-7110.

[Lurker]

Tonights dinner is a big pot of New England Clam Chowder, a large Cesear Salad, and a big loaf of crusty bread. A meat tray of Italian and Spanish cured meats and cheeses to start, along with a nice bottle or two of red wine.

Dessert is a fresh Meyer Lemon Meringue pie.

Family coming tonight.

Tomorrow’s dinner is rack of lamb with roasted potatoes. That’s just for me and Mrs L.

Then a wee dram of some 14 year old Scotch and a fine cigar.

Merry Christmas to all.

L

[caww]

We are having lots of pick food ‘Christmas Eve’...grand cheese boards, veggie dips, shrimp and the like...

Christmas Day we’re having a Gigantic Breakfast Brunch......in the evening it’s PIZZA!.....Nobody wants to slave over a big dinner this year....It’s a change but what everyone wants this year.

[RightGeek]

Sounds like a fantastic idea

[USS Alaska]

My son and his family spent several hours yesterday on the Strip in Pburgh at Wholeys Fish Market and after buying for our dinner meal had a "breakfast/lunch" at the original Primanti Brothers on 18th in the heart of the Strip.

It is a tradition that is being extended as my grand children loved it and while they don't live near the burg, want to come back next year and enjoy it again.

Merry Christmas to all FReepers, with a special thanks to Jimbo and Salena.

[leaning conservative]

Why choose, I’ll have them all ; )

[11Bush]

Our traditional Christmas Eve dinner has been spaghetti. My wife and I started this when we were undergrads and could not afford something more elaborate. Going on 43 years and I still look forward to it.

It is currently simmering on the stove, and except for the occasional stir, and a little stealing from the pot by me, it will be ready for dinner tonight.

[caww]

We’ll see how it goes but we’re all fine with toning down the food prep etc. I’m taking some Shrimp and cookies....no doubt there will plenty to eat.....I love pick food so I’ll be a very happy camper!

Speaking of which...need to get things ready so I’m off for now!

[caww]

The Pittsburgh ‘Strip” is a fabulous and fun place to poke around and enjoy. A giant food fair! I go there at least once a year or so....

[Trillian]

I’ve got my yeast proofing to make dough right now. I’m going to make the traditional Christmas Eve Fritelle.
Then later, we all have birthday ice cream cake :)

[Albion Wilde]

Ping to post 2!

[Larry Lucido]

And if you don't watch it you can sleep with the seven fishes.

[Twink]

Another successful Christmas Eve Seven Fishes Dinner (we have more, since shellfish don’t count, lol). It’s funny, even though half who come don’t celebrate any other holidays, this is the one they celebrate and make sure they come for Christmas Eve. It’s really our family holiday none will miss.