Fish fry

Afish fryis a social event containingbatteredorbreadedfried fish. It usually also includesfrench fries,coleslaw,macaroni salad, lemon slices,tartar sauce,hot sauce,malt vinegarand dessert. Some Native American versions are cooked by coating fish withsemolinaandegg yolk.
A fish fry may includepotato pancakes(with accompanying side dishes of sour cream or applesauce) and sliced carawayrye breadif served in a German restaurant or area.
Fish fries are very common in theMidwesternandnortheasternregions of theUnited States. Fish is often served on Friday nights as a restaurant special or through church fundraisers.This is especially true for Christian communities duringLent, the Christian season of repentance, whentraditioncalls for abstinence from meat.
A "shore lunch" is common in the northern United States and Canada. For decades, outdoor enthusiasts have been cooking their catch on the shores of their favorite lakes.
The tradition of Christians fasting on Fridays to recognize Jesus's crucifixion onGood Fridaydates to the first century AD. Fish had been associated with religious holidays even in pre-Christian times.The first mention of fish in connection with Lent, the season of repentance in Christianity, comes fromSocrates of Constantinople, a church historian in the third and fourth centuries who spoke of abstaining from meat and meat products (such as cheese and eggs) during the 40 days of Lent. The custom was mentioned byPope Gregory I, who was elected in 590, and was later incorporated intocanon law.TheRoman Catholic traditionof Christianity has been that the flesh of warm-blooded animals is off limits on Fridays, although the1983 Code of Canon Lawprovided for alternative observances of the Friday penance outside Lent. InMethodist Christianity,The Directions Given to Band Societiesmandatefastingand abstinence from meat on all Fridays of the year.TheBook of Common Prayerof theAnglican Christiandenomination requires abstinence from meat on all Fridays of the year too.
McDonald'saddition of theFilet-o-Fishto its menu occurred when a Cincinnati franchise in a heavily Catholic neighborhood was struggling to sell hamburgers on Fridays during Lent.
The modern fish fry tradition is strong in Wisconsin, where hundreds of eateries hold fish fries on Fridays, and sometimes on Wednesdays. The Friday night fish fry is a popular year-round tradition in Wisconsin among people of all religious backgrounds. Fish fries are offered at many restaurants,tavernsthat serve food,VFWhalls, and at Christian churches, especially those of the Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican and Methodist traditions, as fundraisers.A typical Wisconsin fish fry consists ofbeer batterfried cod,perch,bluegill,walleye,smelt, or in areas along the Mississippi River, catfish. The meal usually comes with tartar sauce, French fries or German-stylepotato pancakes, coleslaw, and rye bread, thoughbaked beansare not uncommon. The tradition in Wisconsin began because Wisconsin was settled heavily by Catholics of German, Polish, and other backgrounds whose religion forbade eating meat on Fridays. The number of lakes in the state meant that eating fish became a popular alternative.Scandinavian settlements in northern and eastern Wisconsin favored thefish boil, a variant on the fish fry, which involves heating potatoes, white fish, and salt in a large cauldron.
Battered or breadedhaddockandcodfish fry is one of the trademarks ofupstate New Yorkcuisine andnorthwestern Pennsylvania, especiallyAlbany,Buffalo,Pittsburgh,Rochester,Syracuse, andUtica. Many restaurants in these cities serve a fish fry on Friday, even outsideLent, and it is often available throughout the week.These meals typically consist of a piece of fish,coleslaw(sometimespotato saladormacaroni salad), french fries, and a dinner roll.
In thesouthern United States, a fish fry is a family or social gathering, held outdoors or in large halls. At a typical fish fry, quantities of fish (such asbream,catfish,flounderandbass) available locally are battered and deep-fried in cooking oil. The batter usually consists ofcorn meal, milk orbuttermilk, and seasonings. In addition to the fish,hushpuppies(deep-fried, seasoned corn dumplings), and coleslaw are served. These events are oftenpotluckaffairs. In Georgia and South Carolina, fish are dipped in milk, then into a mix of flour, cornmeal and seasonings before frying. Cheesegritsis often a side dish.