FISH FRIES: Still more fish to fry …
Jim Flynn writes, “Being in a largely Catholic area does not
mean a good fish fry is available. Two years ago, we decided to
attend the different Catholic churches in Erie for Friday fish fry.
Guess what, they all served Mrs. Paul’s fish sticks. Yuck!”
“To find a good fish fry, one needs to travel to a small town.
Waterford, Pa., has two restaurants with a good fish fry. Edinboro
has one as does Corry. The VFW in West Middlesex, Pa., also serves
great fish fry on Friday nights year around.
“None quite as good as Johnson’s Restaurant used to serve or as
the Holiday House still serves today.”
From Colorado, we hear from Terry McGuire: “I have enjoyed the
last few days discussion concerning fish fries. I have searched the
Rocky Mountains of Colorado and have not found a piece of fried
fish worth mentioning. I have my uncle deliver me Straub beer on
his weekly trucking run to California, maybe he can bring me a fish
fry, too. By the way, regular unleaded gasoline $2.60 per gallon
and climbing.”
And this from Kathie Enright Boucher: “I’ve lived in Wisconsin
for many years now and I can report with some authority that the
Friday Night Fish Fry is a huge and well-entrenched tradition here
and in many other areas of the upper Midwest.”
“Churches hold fish fries on Fridays during Lent but every
restaurant and nearly every tavern offer them every week of the
year. Long waits are common.
“Drive-through customers of Milwaukee’s famous Serb Hall Fish
Fry routinely tie up traffic for blocks. It’s a high-carb meal –
usually fried cod, potato pancakes, mac and cheese, and coleslaw.
Oh, and bread on the side.
“So – come to Milwaukee and sample the Friday night
Gemuetlikeit!”
Finally (for today), Joe Howard writes, “Been reading about the
Bradford area for sometime now, grew up between Mount Jewett and
Lantz Corners. Just had to comment on the fish fries.”
Back in the ’50s and ’60s, as a kid, he recalls going to Pete’s
Inn in Lantz Corners for the Friday night fish fry – “always a long
wait but the best fish I ever had. I know it changed hands a few
times and last time I was there it had burned down. Do miss that
area.”
