What meals do Italians have to celebrate special occassions?

Question

Meals for things like Christmas, Easter, weddings etc.

I don't want recipes, just the names of the meals and the history of them...

Please and thankyou's.

xx

Answer 1

I do believe on Christmas Eve there is a whole meal consisting of seafood dishes.

Feast Of Seven Fish

Antipasto

Fried Pastry Stuffed With Salted Cod

Seafood Salad

Stuffed Clams

Seafood Crepes

Spaghetti With Crab

Spaghetti al Granchio

Swordfish With Orange Sauce

Salmon With Green Sauce

Chi Mangia Bene, Mangia Italiano

(Those Who Eat Well, Eat Italian)

Answer 2

EASTER-

The Italian Easter feast is the most symbolic of all Italian feasts. Although regional recipes and menus may differ depending on seasonal specialties and locality, the main essentials can be commonly found in almost every Italian Easter Day menu. Among them include eggs, lamb, and symbolic shaped breads.

Eggs are traditionally served in almost every dish, from soups to sweet breads, served on Easter Day to recognize that they represent rebirth and life. Another custom for Italians on Easter is to include lamb, grilled or roasted, on the menu to recognize and remember the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross. The Dove, symbolizing peace, has become the shape of the famous traditional Easter cake, Colomba Pasquale (Colomba means dove and Pasqua means Easter).

Lamb Chops with Basil Pesto and  Zuppa Inglese , and  also try the recipe for the classic Colomba Pasquale. Both entries will surely bring Italian gourmet highlights to your Easter Day menu.

CHRISTMAS-

Yes, there is the feast of the 7 fishes! The origins vary, depending on who you ask, but quite clearly, you did not eat meat on Christmas Eve since it was the birth of Jesus, and just as you would not eat meat on Good Friday, you would not eat meat on Christmas Eve. It is because it took God 7 days to create the universe.  .

Most times it starts with was cheese, crackers and of course antipasto which included marinated artichoke hearts, pepperoni, salami, olives, sweet roasted peppers, mini mozzarella balls (boccicio); the first course was crab legs removed from the shell and jumbo shrimp; next came the pickled peppers stuffed with bread crumbs and olives; flounder stuffed with spinach, sundried tomatoes, mozzarella cheese; baccala (cold seafood salad similar to cod mixed with green and black olives, peppers, etc); lobster ravioli in vodka sauce; linguini in red sauce and shrimp scampi butter sauce over linguini; stuffed calamari; we waited an hour before desserts which included cheesecake, peanut butter silk cake in oreo cookie crust, canoli, assorted cookies, and chocolates.

Weddings-

Well if you do some research you will find the traditional "wedding cake" startted in Italy, and it was actually a "fruit cake" which was crumbled over the brides head, the fruit represented fertility, and happieness.

A traditional menu includes Italian wedding soup (what else?), a soul-food offering made with savory meatballs and rice, and topped off with plenty of Parmesan cheese.

As for entrées, common choices include salmon, chicken or lamb, often served with pasta (naturalmente). Popular choices for dessert include the beloved tiramisu, or panna cotta — Traditionally there are 12-14 courses...So I am not going to name all of your choices but typically it depends on the part or parts of italy inwhich either side is from, but this is a great site to visit...

http://www.recipezaar.com/recipes.php?ca...

Hope this helps...

Answer 3

The Christmas Eve dinner is called the "Feast of the 7 Fishes".......don't know why this tradition was started....sorry......