Fried seafood and warm memories: The tradition of Lenten fish fries

 Ted Sigite covers seasoned catfish strips in breading before dropping them into the hot oil March 17 at the American Legion. A crew there is preparing fish for lunch on Fridays during Lent.
Ted Sigite covers seasoned catfish strips in breading before dropping them into the hot oil March 17 at the American Legion. A crew there is preparing fish for lunch on Fridays during Lent.

For much of Mid-Missouri's Catholic population, nothing says Easter is on the way like Lenten fish fries. The family, parish and community seafood (and/or lake and river food) feasts are a time-honored tradition dating back longer than the eldest among us can recall.

Lent is the Catholic religious season leading up to the Easter holiday - celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ - which lasts 40 days. The 40-day duration is symbolic of events in the New and Old Testaments, such as the 40 days and nights Moses fasted atop Mount Sinai preparing to receive the Ten Commandments. The prophet Elijah also spent that length of time walking to the same mountain, known as Mount Horeb in the first book of Kings.

Most importantly for the church, Jesus fasted and prayed in the desert for that time period before beginning public ministry, which would inevitably lead to his death on the cross and return from the afterlife.

"Lent is all about us thinking about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ," said Ed Stroesser, a deacon at St. Andrew Catholic Church in Holts Summit.

The Lenten season starts on Ash Wednesday, the day on which Catholics adorn a cross their foreheads with the ashes of palm branches blessed on the prior Palm Sunday. From then until Good Friday - the day celebrating Jesus' crucifixion - Catholics traditionally do not eat terrestrial (non-fish) animal meats on Fridays. Thus, fish has become a go-to source of protein.

Catholics have also traditionally sacrificed something they enjoy, like candy, beer or television. However, Stroesser said more of the faithful are beginning to do something extra, rather than do without.

"Folks who give up things are all about sacrifice. Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice on Good Friday. He died on the cross for us, so we give up things that will make us sacrifice," Stroesser said. "But it seems like in more recent times, folks are doing more adding things, like going to Mass more often or saying more prayers. They are doing things to live their life better."

The Lenten tradition has evolved since the foundation of the church. According to the Catholic Education Resource Center, it has often been debated how much followers should fast. In the early days, circa 325 A.D., the Council of Nicea encouraged the faithful to fast the entire 40 days. 

Some members of the church abstained from animal products entirely, while others ate fish, dairy and eggs. This has since changed to allow terrestrial meat every day but Ash Wednesday and Fridays. Fasting is reserved for Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, so fish fry attendants don't have to feel guilty for filling their bellies.

Regardless of the degree of sacrifice, since the days of the apostles, Christians have always come together to celebrate Jesus' sacrifice. Stroesser said he remembers attending parish fish fries back in the 1950s. Brent Cain, Fr. Helias Knights of Columbus Council 1054 grand knight, has gone from a hungry fish-eating kid to operating one of the larger fries in the Jefferson City community.

"I've been going to Knights of Columbus fish fries as long as I can remember, and I'm 30 years old," said Cain, who enjoys the social atmosphere and tasty dishes.

"You've got a lot of people who are serving the community," he said. "Everybody seems happy, and it makes you feel good, too, actually being able to give money to an organization. But overall, I'd have to say my favorite is the fried fish. It just tastes so good."

The council has held fish fries for more than 20 years and usually distributes 500 pounds of fish to 530-550 attendants.

"Some of our cooks have been doing it since the beginning of time, it seems like," Cain said. "We get a few new ones in there periodically."

Cain said some members of the community often try to support as many different parish and community fish fries as possible, while others attend their favorite fry every week; but everyone seems to enjoy catching up with old friends and supporting local causes. Proceeds for the Council 1054 fries go to a different cause every week, such the Helias and Vitae foundations. Cain said the council donated $2,500 after each fry last year.

"It's definitely a family-based event," he said. "Everyone seems very excited, and we get a lot of compliments. They seem even more excited when they are walking out the door with their bellies full."

American Legion Club Manager Sharon Bertels said Jefferson City's Post 5 has held fish fries since the 1970s. "It's been a tradition as long as I can remember," she said.

Although attendance has been down in recent years, she said it is on the rise again after they switched to serving lunch rather than compete with other events for the dinner crowd. Post 5 often distributes two or three cases of catfish in a day, she said.

Not every fish fry is held by a parish or fraternal organization. Family fish fries are a favorite memory of Larry and Shirley Schwartzer. Shirley remembers friends and family catching trout while camping in Bennett Spring State Park. Different family members had jobs like filleting the fish or fixing potatoes, but Shirley said her job was hooking in the main course. "I'd rather fish than eat," she said. "I would catch my limit."

At the end of the day, the group gathered around for some old-fashioned campfire music; Larry on bass, a friend on rhythm guitar and their son on drums. "They let me sing once and a while," Shirley said.

Whether it's with the family or the whole community, the fish fry tradition will likely carry on into the next generations, as hungry children turn into the adults behind the deep fryers. This year's area fish fries are listed on the News Tribune's community calendar for those who would like to take part in what could be the tastiest form of abstinence.