Ray Schultz and an un-identified volunteer
prepare the macaroni.
Mark Kramer enjoys his fried shrimp dinner.
Something Fishy in Townby Stephanie Zink |
| For the Catholic church and other Christian faiths this is the season of Lent, a forty day period leading up to Easter. It is a time of prayer, almsgiving and fasting in preparation of celebrating the Lord's resurrection. For Catholics, Fridays during Lent are days of abstinence where one should refrain from eating meat. This practice dates back to the first century when it became tradition to abstain from eating "flesh meat" to honor Christ who sacrificed his flesh on a Friday. Fish became the acceptable substitute. |
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| For almost 20 years, St. Joseph church has held their annual Lenten fish fries. From their humble beginnings of offering the standard fish and fries, their menu has grown to include shrimp and baked fish with a variety of side items to choose from. The organizers of this function take great pride in the fact that all of their food is homemade. Although it would be easier to go to the market and buy their side dishes ready to serve, it's important to them to offer their patrons a home-cooked meal. | |
| The head chef of the fish fries, who wishes to remain nameless, makes all the macaroni and cheese from scratch. This is quite a task considering that the amount of macaroni has doubled from 6 pounds to 12 pounds over the last eight years. Parishioners also like to boast about the German cole slaw on the menu which is made from a recipe that dates back many generations. Not only is this popular at St. Joseph's fish fries, but at their summer festival as well. Of course no meal would be complete without dessert. Not to worry, the folks at St. Joe's provide plenty of "body-building" treats to satisfy the cravings of even the largest sweet tooth. |
Ray Schultz and an un-identified volunteer prepare the macaroni. |
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| Something else that is important to St. Joseph parish is hospitality. Food is always served with a smile, and laughter can usually be heard from the kitchen. Co-organizer, Ray Schultz, sees the fish fry as more than just food, "It's all about building community and outreach. It brings everybody together and we have fun, and it helps the parish at the same time." All of the setting up, cooking and cleaning is done by parish volunteers. A lot of work goes into these five short weeks, but through it all the people laugh and joke with one another having fun while serving their community. |
Mark Kramer enjoys his fried shrimp dinner. |
| At the St. Joseph church fish fries you are guaranteed a delicious homecooked meal served in a lighthearted, warm atmosphere. (Plus, the view's not so bad either.) It sounds like the perfect Friday night. | |
| The St. Joseph fish fries are every Friday night through April 6, from 4:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Patrons can choose to dine in or carry out. Carry out orders can be phoned in ahead of time at 635-5652 (please do not call before 3:45). | |