It’s Andy here. Ann is in OurLittleCorner pondering poetry.
As you’ve undoubtedly guessed by now, Ann is the creative force in our household, especially when it comes to landscaping, cooking, and entertaining. Hence, it should be no surprise that she has managed to transform a Catholic Italian-American Christmas Eve dining ritual into a Glen Ellen mid-summer non-denominational dinner party.
It all started when our friend Lynne invited us to a New Year’s dinner party that included folks we didn’t know. Always on the lookout for reasons to throw a dinner party of our own, Ann’s ears perked up when one of our new acquaintances at the table was describing her Italian family’s Christmas Eve tradition of serving seven different fish dishes. It was called the Feast of the Seven Fishes.
According to Wikipedia, the tradition originated in Southern Italy as La Vigilia , referring to the vigil before the midnight birth of Jesus. The “fishes” part has its roots in the Roman Catholic tradition of abstaining from meat during the vigil. Interestingly, specifying that it should be seven fishes is unique to Italian-Americans. Why seven fishes? No one seems to know for sure. It could be the seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church, the seven hills of Rome, or the seven days of the week.
This all sounded like a fun idea to Ann, but with Christmas Eve being so far away she suggested we do the feast at mid-year and call it a Feast of Three-and-a-Half Fishes. And so it came to pass that on the 13th day of July in the year 2024, the tradition of the Feast of Three-and-a-Half Fishes was launched right here in Glen Ellen. You’ve got to admit that it’s gutsy for a non-Italian, non-Catholic, Colorado-bred girl to tinker with a sacred holiday rite.
- Editor’s note: Everyone prepared and brought a dish to the dinner. The three-and-a-half fish dishes were:
- #1 Trout – Smoked Trout Dip with Crackers and Veggies.
- #2 Shrimp – Shrimp and Corn Fritters.
- #3 Halibut – Ottolenghi’s Sweet and Sour Fish (main dish)
- #1/2 – Anchovy (Charred Green Beans with Anchovy Dressing and Dukkah)
My usual contribution to dinner parties (other than being a pretty face and a witty host) is to be the cleanup and dishwashing wallah. But for this occasion Ann thought it would be a nice touch to have a trivia contest when the dessert was served. I was pleased when she asked if I would take charge of finding trivia questions and organizing the competition.
Rather than merely telling you about it, I’m going to go the extra mile and let you try your hand at an abbreviated trivia contest right here. Let’s see how many of the following questions, each dealing in one way or another with fish, can you answer correctly? I’m including only 10 of the 45 questions used for our party.
Without further ado, then, here are the 10 questions (click on the question to reveal the correct answer). Keep track of the number you get correct and interpret your score using the NIH Proficiency Scale provided at the end of the questions. Good luck!
1. Jonathan Swift back in the early 1700’s famously penned, “He was a bold man that first ate an oyster.” What is wrong with that statement?
Answer: Archaeological evidence suggests it was a woman who ate the first oyster (although there is no conclusive evidence that she was bold).
2. Jamie Oliver has a recipe for Pouting Fish Fingers. What is a “pouting fish”?
a. A teenage shad
b. A member of the cod family
c. An annoyed herring
d. A grumpy tuna
Answer: b. A member of the cod family.
3. If you encounter a “pinnotheres pisum” while enjoying your raw oysters, what did you encounter?
a. A piece of kelp.
b. A type of sea worm that preys on oysters.
c. A tiny crab that lives as a parasite in oysters.
d. An unformed pearl.
Answer: c. A tiny crab that that lives as a parasite in oysters.
4. What North American mammal was declared to be a fish by the Catholic Church in 1760 so it could be eaten during lent?
Answer: The beaver. (This was largely for the benefit of French trappers in Northern America at the time – beaver pelts were in high demand for making top hats).
5. In 2013 This American Life broadcast a story about an urban myth that claims that “fake calamari” is made from _____________.
a. Compressed chicken gizzards.
b. Dehydrated beef gristle.
c. Deep-fried potatoes.
d. Pig rectums.
Answer: d. Pig rectums. (Even though it’s an urban myth, it makes you think twice before ordering calamari!)
6. What does a 35.2 oz pack of “Plaza Osetra Caviar” go for at Costco?
a. $1,999.99
b. $999.99
c. $99.99
d. $9.99
Answer: a. $1,999.99 (and you get free shipping!)
7. What should you do when your fly-fishing guide tells you to mend your line?
a. Lift and flip the line upstream or downstream.
b. Reel in any excess line floating in the water.
c. Apply Super Glue where the break is.
d. Tell the guide to bug off.
Answer: a. Lift and flip the line upstream or downstream (and never tell a guide to bug off!)
8. A baby seahorse is called a
a. Colt.
b. Wimp.
c. Fry.
d. Pup.
Answer: c. Fry.
9. What percent of Americans who fly-fish are women?
a. 6%.
b. 11%.
c. 21%.
d. 31%.
Answer: d. 31%.
10. Why did the whale eat two ships full of potatoes?
Answer: The whale ate two ships full of potatoes because no on can eat just one potato ship. (Sorry, I couldn’t help myself!)
I hope you’re satisfied with your score. Happy fishing (and feasting)!
Grinning the whole time I am reading this and wishing so much that I lived in Glen Ellen next door to you and Ann. Or, maybe even in a small cottage located in your driveway…that would work too. 🙂
BTW…I am not anaymous…its Melissa (and Beau)
Although appealing, I’m not sure that a small cottage in our driveway would work. Where would we park our car? It’s always good to hear from you and, of course, we would be more than delighted if you moved here (with the exception of being in our driveway).
If my ego needed a beating, you sure provided it with that quiz. Oufda!
I sent the positive disagreement video link along. ThanX!
Don’t take it personally – the quiz was intended to be a bit obscure, but interesting. And I’m glad you found the video (Ann’s idea) meaningful. We both feel that there needs to be more rhetoric like that.
We hosted (and Charlie cooked) a Feast of the Seven Fishes last Christmas Eve. It was wonderful, but, oh, my, all the dishes! Our little condo kitchen was a disaster! Here’s the menu: Appetizers: smoked salmon puffs, shrimp cocktail, and (for fun) goldfish crackers
Starter: oysters Rockefeller; Soup: crab bisque; Salad: Caesar with scallops; Entrees: Greek snapper, blackened grouper, and spaghetti GOP. Dessert was tiramisu. Very fun and delicious!
I feel your pain regarding the dishes. However, the menu certainly would trump the pain. I think we both did ok in the spousal-selection department (when it comes to cooking, that is). Good to hear from you!
Andy, you are a freaking genius!!
(I have fundamental awareness)
Thanks David. I’m quite used to being addressed with “freaking” but the “genius” part is something new. I kind of like it.