Fried fish are everywhere, but fish fries are a heartland affair. In a sprawling triangular swath of America bordered by the Hudson River, the Ohio River, and the northernmost beginnings of the Mississippi, the Friday night fish fry is as much a part of life as barbecue in the Carolinas. In shot-and-beer pool parlors, storefront cafes, American Legion halls, and woodland supper clubs, friends and neighbors gather over pitchers of beer and fish that ranges from common Atlantic cod to smelt to prized freshwater bluegill. Some fish fries are little more than simple sandwiches: crisp, hot hunks from the deep fryer between two pieces of white bread, with tartar sauce an option; most make fish the hub of a meal with a constellation of sides. Indigenous accompaniments are as dissimilar as Tater Tots and elegant potato pancakes, hand-parched wild rice and Rice-A-Roni by the box. All-you-can-eat is a popular way to serve; portioned-out fish fry dinners are always abundant.
Not all who enjoy the weekly custom are Catholic, although the old religious proscription of meat on Fridays is certainly how it started. Fish fry culture thrives in cities with large Catholic populations and communities that maintain strong European ethnic identity. Foremost among them is Milwaukee, where the ritual is so much a part of life that it is rare to find a restaurant that does not dedicate Friday night to it. The august downtown institution Karl Ratzsch’s adds fried perch to a Teutonic menu known for crackling pork hocks and roast goose; Taqueria Azteca offers perch tacos and Mexican beer; even local KFCs do it during Lent. We have found fish fries in such culturally diverse eateries as the Italian Community Center, Benji’s Deli, Silver Spur Texas Smokehouse, and the Bya Wi Se Nek Buffet in the Potawatomi Bingo Casino.
Fish fries are community events as well as restaurant meals.