So just why is it customary to eat fish on Good Friday? In the Catholic tradition, fish, being cold-blooded, is permitted during Lent, the 40-day period of abstinence prior to Easter, including Good Friday. On this day Christians commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. To acknowledge this sacrifice, the Vatican decreed that Christians should abstain from eating meat on this day, and this rule was followed for hundreds of years, with fish eaten instead. In the Bible, fish are symbolic of Christ’s followers, many of whom were fishermen.

Today, regardless of whether you’re religious or not, many choose to eat fish on Good Friday. In England it’s a day for fish and chips and worldwide, people gather around festive dishes of salmon, prawns, lobsters or whatever seafood is the speciality of their region.

In Tasmania we are spoilt for choice: in our own waters we have crayfish, oysters, salmon, trout, scallops, flathead, pink ling and trevalla in abundance, and from further afield, wonderful extra-large tiger prawns from Crystal Bay in far north Queensland.

Our own Chef Alan and his team at the Hill Street Kitchen will have Seafood Pies, Scallop Pies, Salmon Wellingtons and Blue Eye Wellingtons, available in all Hill Street deli sections, ready for you to heat and eat at home this Easter, helping to make your Easter entertaining easy!