Feast of the 7 Fishes aka LaVigilia Where Can I Buy Certain Seafood?
 

I'm from the New England where we have always celebrated Christmas Eve eating the "Feast of the Seven Fishes." I'm looking for a store that sells dried Baccala aka cod fish, smelts and/or snails. Is there a market in the area that sells those items?

fish
 

Call Stokes in Leesburg.I am pretty sure they will have what you want.

Thank you!

I just googled and read all about this tradition. Sounds absolutely delicious. I love all types of fish and could easily become a fishaterian. I am going to try to convince my wife we should make this our Christmas Ev. dinner (without the pasta carbs).

JSR22, thanks for the tip. Today we took the ride to Stokes in Leesburg. The good news I got all the fish I could not find anywhere else especially the dried salted cod fish aka Baccala. The bad news is today was their last day in business according to someone I spoke she said the pandemic has hurt them to the point they are closing.

Topchfa it's a great meal and tradition. Growing up in the 1950s and early 1960s my grandparents would have 20 plus people at their tenant house in the Italian section of Providence, Rhode Island for "LaVigilia." Others in my family and myself have kept this tradition alive.

Is Lighthouse still around? They always had great seafood.

A Boston North End guy , you
 

Brought back a good memory I don’t know many who celebrate that way , not even any mid night masses anymore

They are still around and have great seafood. Unfortunately, I can’t get myself to go back there again anytime soon because last time I went there not a single one of their employees wore a mask.

They have great local seafood, but not alot of specialty seafood. We have a seafood shop in middle MA, same distance to the shore, which has icelandic fish, Alaskan salmon, all flown in, but the lighthouse specializes in Key West pinks, shrimps. Would love Alaskan salmon in season, or fresh caught tuna steaks, which we will have flown in from seattle with some neighbors to make the purchase worthwhile.

Which is why I was excited to hear about the Leesburg fish store, and sad to hear the bad news, and still think all DC elites have their heads up their a$$

sportsguy

There are no longer rules about fasting on Christmas Eve from the Church and we are too old to be bound by them if there were. Advent is no longer thought of as a "Lent". So many things have changed. Many of us didn't see house or church decorations until the 24th when we were little.

The feast of the seven fishes was usually celebrated by people of Italian heritage in Columbus, Ohio. There was one mostly Italian Parish when I was little.

I'm a little surprised that Stokes would be going out of business. I've seen their trucks as far north as Michigan. Maybe it's just the retail shop closing?

Stokes
 

Only the retail is closing.

And you’re not capable of wearing one?

Stokes is closed- shut the doors on Dec. 5th but Bubba’s Seafood (1301 E. Main St) in Leesburg should have whatever you need

Yes that is correct. I should have mentioned that in my original post.