Christmas carp
The Christmas carp is in Central Europe a traditional dish for Christmas Eve . This tradition arose when, according to Christian doctrine, Advent was celebrated as Lent . Christmas Eve, the highlight of Advent and the eve of Christmas Day, should be celebrated in a special way, and a special fasting dish should do justice to this.
regional customs
It is an old custom to pick up one of the carp's scales and carry it with you so that it can bring good fortune in the New Year. This custom arises from the coin-like shape of the carp scales. In the Erzgebirge, too, carp is assigned the symbolism as part of the Neunerlei that one does not run out of big money.
In the Middle Ages , the carp (like the pike ) were given a special religious reputation and were therefore eaten at Christmas. According to the idea of the time, the head of the fish should contain the torture instruments of Christ , and the head bones should be used to assemble a dove-like bird shape, which is to remind of the Holy Spirit and should protect against witches . Another belief was that there was a moon-shaped pebble above the carp's eyes, and whoever found it at Christmas would bring it luck.
An old Silesian custom is partly still today that on the morning after the Christmas carp meal, the leftover fish bones are placed against the fruit trees in his garden to encourage them to flourish in spring. This custom is also used after eating the New Year's or New Year's carp. In the Czech Republic and Slovakia, the scales are a symbol of wealth and are placed under the plate or in the purse.
preparation
The carp used to be gutted the evening before at the latest and soaked in buttermilk overnight so that the strong taste is lost a little. Before carp farming , when the fish were still fished from the ponds, it was often the case that the carp swam in the clear water in the bathtub for a few days. This had the effect of watering the carp, so to speak, removing the muddy taste that arises when the carp ingests food from the pond mud.
In southern Germany, as well as in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary, Christmas carp is usually traditionally cut into pieces, breaded and fried in fat. The Christmas carp is served with potato salad (usually prepared with mayonnaise ), cucumber salad , lemon wedges , boiled potatoes or tartar sauce .
In northern regions, a very popular preparation is carp blue with parsley or boiled potatoes and horseradish sauce .
Another classic is stuffed carp. To do this, the fish is stuffed with various vegetables and / or potatoes. Then the whole carp is fried in the oven. In addition to the filling, other side dishes are usually fried tomatoes , mushrooms and boiled potatoes or potatoes .
literature
- Rüdiger Vossen, Karla Vossen, Gertrud Schier: Christmas customs all over the world. Christmas time - turning point. Martini bis Lichtmeß , Museum für Völkerkunde, Christians, Hamburg 1991, ISBN 3-7672-0915-2 .
- Lis Raabe: Old Christmas customs from German-speaking countries. Heyne, Munich 1984, ISBN 3-453-41622-8 .
