The tradition of eating fish dishes on Thursdays still exists today, especially in schools, kindergartens and in some canteens at factories or enterprises. Where did it come from?
History of the "fish day" tradition
First of all, you need to remember about Orthodox customs. It was during the fasting period that it was allowed to eat fish, excluding meat dishes and other animal products from food. Also, fish was allowed to eat on some holidays - the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, Palm Sunday, the Transfiguration of the Lord. It was Thursday that was a “fish day”, since an even stricter fast came on Wednesday and Friday according to the Church charter.
It is believed that the rule of eating fish on Thursdays in the Soviet Union has nothing to do with Orthodox traditions. On the basis of AI Mikoyan's decree "On the introduction of a fish day at public catering establishments" introduced on September 12, 1932, in many canteens, only fish was on the menu on Thursdays. This decision was made in order to save meat. Fish, thus, made it possible to make up for the missing protein in the ration of employees.
Later, on October 26, 1976, another decree of the Central Committee of the CPSU on the introduction of a "fish day" was published. This time, the goal was not only to save meat, but also to increase fish production in the country. Why was Thursday chosen as such a day? Experts confirmed the advisability of this choice with a number of data and calculations, which illustrated the fact that it is on such a day that the fish will be sold extremely high.
But there is also an assumption that this choice was justified in connection with the church customs of eating fish on Thursdays, since there was an increased demand for this product in canteens and cafes on these days.
On the basis of the decision of the higher authorities, all catering establishments of that time offered fish on the menu on Thursdays. Cheaper varieties were offered in public canteens and cafes, while more expensive varieties were offered in restaurants.
At first, restaurant visitors could taste fish soup with salmon. This dish had a rich and spicy taste. For the second one could order, for example, marinated fish with a side dish - baked potatoes. The classic salad "herring under a fur coat", or simply "fur coat" soaked in a sauce based on mayonnaise, is another variant of the dish that was served on "fish Thursday".
"Fish Day" today
Today this tradition has not become obsolete, many famous restaurants offer all kinds of fish dishes. At the same time, Thursday is often chosen as a "fish day" with a specialized menu.
Today, such dishes offered in the menu of modern catering establishments are not only a source of nutrients, but also allow gourmets to get aesthetic pleasure.
