Wisconsin Fish Fry

Despite Wisconsin’s fame and glory for being the nation’s Dairy State, Wisconsin is also home to a weekly tradition that has surpassed generations: the Wisconsin Fish Fry. Ask any visitor from another Midwestern state what they would like to eat on a Friday night, and they will likely choose their favorite burger, pizza, or gourmet restaurant du jour. Not so for the Wisconsinite, as all Wisconsin food lovers share the secrets of the Wisconsin Fish Fry tradition.

This time-honored tradition first became popular as German Catholics in Wisconsin observed meatless Fridays. It wasn’t until the Prohibition era when taverns created this social event weekly as a ‘marketing’ opportunity; business was slow, and they needed to come up with a catchy concept to bring patrons into their doors. Featuring a Fish Fry quickly became popular, and gained statewide attention to become the best Friday pick! Today’s taverns and grills in Wisconsin offer this classic fare composed of deep-fried fish including walleye, perch or cod, beer-battered steak-cut fries, or other potato; and coleslaw and tartar sauce. Homemade tartar sauce has also become a competitive feature, and the taste of homemade is truly incomparable to any store-bought brand.

The heavily battered, deep-fried fish concept may have evolved from the famous British ‘Fish and Chips’, the standard served amongst Fish and Chip shops in classic newspaper. Although this concept has not profited well in Wisconsin (the east coast does boast a few of these classic versions), the eagerness and excitement associated with Friday Night Fish Fry is almost indescribable. Walleye, cod, and perch are plentiful in most of Wisconsin’s rivers, and so are a natural choice for this low-cost specialty. Ask any true Wisconsinite what’s for dinner on Friday, and they will more often than not respond with their tavern of choice. It has become a social and cultural trend that will likely not leave the state any time soon.

Article by Sabah Karimi