Lenten Fish Fry—

Hundreds Enjoy The Ones

That Didn’t Get Away At St Rose

By Andrew Gorosko

Parishioners of St Rose Church and others assembled Friday, February 27, in the church’s new Gathering Hall for a hearty bill of Lenten fare, to enjoy fried fish and side dishes as the congregation approaches Easter.

Brian Liotta, of The Knights of Columbus, Council 185, estimated that about 650 fish dinners were served that night, of which about 475 dinners were in the form of sit-down meals in the church hall, and the other 175 meals were picked up drive-through-style as takeout orders.

The Knights also will hold the fish fry at the hall on the evenings of Friday, March 6, and Friday, March 13.

The 650 dinners served on February 27 well exceeds the approximately 500 dinners that were served last year on the first night of the fish fry event, Mr Liotta said.

The three evenings of the fish fry are a fundraising event conducted by the Knights, which uses the funds to pay for their various programs, Mr Liotta said. 

The bill of fare included tilapia, which is a type of whitefish, macaroni and cheese, french fries, and coleslaw. Beverages are served, as is cake. For additional fee, a meatless seafood chowder is offered.

The fish fry offers families a good value for the money compared to the prices that they would pay to eat at restaurants, Mr Liotta said.

While diners sat in the church’s Gathering Hall enjoying their meal, little did they realize the efforts required to prepare their meals. 

Outdoors, well away from the building on a rainy and blustery night, a team of fry cooks worked steadily in a tent preparing the fried items in bubbling tanks of oil heated by propane-fired fryers.

Gusts of rain-laden wind caused swirling steam to rise upward from the fryers, encircling the workers  who handled tongs while preparing the savory fish.

After the food it was cooked, church youths hustled the fried fish and french fries away from the frying tent to the church hall where it was placed in serving trays to be provided to those attending the event.

Mr Liotta said the cooking team fried about 250 pounds of battered, breaded tilapia on February 27. The Knights have a special recipe for the fish, he explained.