Reminds me of a public holiday we have, Sham el-Nessim we call it, or "Taking in the breeze." in rough translation, though, the breeze is the last thing you'd want to take in on that day.

A month or so before the occasion, many a family get their grey mullets, dry them, add salt, LOTSA SALT, put'em in plastic bags and let'em ferment for a whole month (sometimes more), on the promised day, the ominous black bags are taken out the fridges (some aren't even preserved in fridges, and more's the pity), they then buy smoked fish, scallions or onions depending on taste, and start hammering that meal in.

Lemme tell ya, if you don't end up with food poisoning, you'll die (or hang yourself) because of how potent the smell is.