snack: snackwire: eating with the fishes

Part of the freelance writer's work day is calling editors to pitch them stories. I often encounter what I call “the rule of three.” One restaurant doing something is just a blip on the radar, unless it something very special or I'm really convincing. Two restaurants makes it more interesting. If you have three, then it's officially a trend.

This edition of snackwire features two press releases from two different pr groups, both featuring the Italian Christmas eve meal "feast of the seven fishes." Smells like a round up.

Both press releases after the jump.

Celebrate the Feast of the Seven Fishes at Jovia

December 6, 2006— Festive New Yorkers can revel at Jovia, Stephen and Thalia Loffredo’s American Italian eatery on the Upper East Side this holiday season. Helmed by newcomer Chef Eben Copple and Pastry Chef Jennifer Domanski, Jovia’s kitchen is turning out a Feast of the Seven Fishes menu for seven nights, beginning December 18 and ending on December 24 (when the feast is traditionally served).

The Feast of the Seven Fishes is the Italian-American tradition of having a seven-fish dinner on Christmas Eve. The tradition is tied to the observance of the La Viglia Di Natale, or the wait for the birth of Christ, when Catholics would fast on Christmas Eve until receiving communion at Midnight Mass. While the origin of why seven fish are eaten is unclear, theories range from the religious (seven sacraments, seven deadly sins) to the secular (seven days of the week, seven winds of Italy).

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Chef Copple’s four-course menu includes a Seafood Salad with diver scallops, mussels, calamari, shrimp, clams, arugula, olives and radicchio, Linguine Nere with baby sepia and spicy tomato sauce, and Black Sea Bass with lemon risotto and orange glazed turnips. For dessert, Jovia will offer a Tortino di Amaretto made with port, candied cranberries, almond cake and torrone gelato. Domanski selected torrone, an Italian almond nougat, as the base of this dessert because of its role as a traditional Italian Christmas sweet. Guests will also take home a complimentary gift bag stuffed with Domanski’s Italian Christmas cookies and seven candy fishes. The menu is priced at $65 per person excluding tax and gratuity.

A flight of Italian wines priced at $20 per person is offered in tandem with the Feast of Seven Fishes menu. It begins with a Prosecco (sparkling wine), followed by an Orvieto (white wine), a Dolcetto (red wine) and a Moscato d' Asti (dessert wine).

Destination diners and neighborhood locals alike have been consistently delighted with Jovia’s contribution to the New York culinary landscape. Now, as the bustling holiday season takes hold, Jovia welcomes diners to enjoy a memorable and unique holiday meal in an intimate townhouse setting.

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Jovia is located at 135 East 62^nd Street between Park and Lexington. For reservations, please contact the restaurant directly at (212) 752-6000.

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It's December already (!) and the holidays are coming... If you are doing anything holiday-related, Chef Amanda Freitag will be serving the traditional Italian fish only menu on Christmas Eve at Gusto Ristorante e Bar Americano (60 Greenwich Ave., 212-924-8000) - have you been since she took over the kitchen this fall? The menu is available as a prix fixe with wine pairings and granita for dessert ($125) or individually a la carte (prices below; the regular a la carte menu will also be available.) The restaurant will be closed on Christmas Day.

LA VIGILIA: FEAST OF SEVEN FISHES

Gusto Ristorante e Bar Americano, 60

Greenwich

Avenue NYV

212-924-8000

December 24, 2006

5:30 - 10pm

$125 prix fixe (including 3 wine pairings and granite)

BACCALA FRITTERS, caper aioli $10

CALAMARI SALAD with chickpeas, pickled peppers $12

GRILLED SARDINES red onion, lemon sea salt $14

Palai, Muller Thergau, Pojer e Sandri, 2004 $44 / $11