Seven Fishes is a New Jersey Tradition
The Seven Fishes Dinner says Christmas Eve, thanks to tradition and the Jersey Shore
Whether it represents the hills of Rome, the Catholic sacraments, or, as veteran home cook Rosella Vitale suggests, "lucky lottery numbers," the Seven Fishes dinner is synonymous with Christmas Eve for countless Italian-Americans, especially those with roots in New Jersey and Philadelphia. "Squid, smelts," says Reggie Delphin, owner of Freeman's Fish Market and purveyor of Eden Gourmet's fish, "clams, mussels, sardines, maybe they serve a seafood salad." He and fellow fishmonger Shawn McClure agree that, while every family's order is a little different, the Seven Fishes dinner makes for the busiest time of the year. It also means that the gleaming fish heaped on mounds of ice at the Eden Gourmet fish counter aren't the usual fare. "We get …
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