Polish Center of Wisconsin’s Authentic Fish Fry

Along with brewingdelicious beers, crafting exquisite cheeses and growing most of America’s ginseng, there is yet another thingthe great state of Wisconsinknows how to do right: the Friday fish fry. In terms of scale and devotion, noother state in the union even remotely compares in hosting this time-honoredtradition. According to “Wisconsin’s Friday Night Fish Fry Tradition” byrenowned folklorist Janet C. Gilmore, in cities such as Green Bay andMilwaukee, “reputedly three out of four restaurant meals served on Fridays willbe fish, while over a million 8-ounce servings of fish are consumed each Fridayin the state.”

You can visit just aboutany restaurant or tavern in Wisconsinon Friday night and find a delicious, reasonably priced meal of fish. ThePolish Center of Wisconsin, which evokes the architectural style of a Polishcountry manor house and overlooks a small spring-fed lake in Franklin,distinguishes itself from its fish-frying brethren by offering a popular Lentenfish fry that is run by a group of dedicated volunteers.

“Because the Polish andPolish-American communities are predominantly Roman Catholic, it was a naturalextension for us to offer fish fries once the center opened in 2000,” explainsCindy Lemek, the center’s executive director.

While Catholics have along history of observing their faith through strict fasting and abstinencepractices, many traditions lost steam after the modernizing Second VaticanCouncil of the 1960s. Before Vatican II, Roman Catholics were required toabstain from eating meat every Fridaya sacrifice honoring the day Jesus Christdiedand fast on all weekdays in Lent under the threat of mortal sin. Now,Roman Catholics are expected to avoid meat only on Ash Wednesday and Fridaysduring Lent, and fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

Every Friday during the40 days of Lent, the Polish Center’s volunteers serve a compelling buffet-stylefish fry that includes Wisconsin’susual suspects: fried and baked cod (hand-breaded by the volunteers), two kindsof coleslaw, potato pancakes and rye bread. What gives the buffet a uniquePolish spin is the appearance of pierogies, the delicate little dumplings ofunleavened dough stuffed with one item or a combination of ingredients such asmushrooms, sauerkraut, potato and white cheese. To round out the meal, try oneof Poland’sfamous sweet tortes available at the dessert table.

A choice of coffee, teaor milk is included with the buffet, but many fry-goers opt for the Polish Center’simpressive selection of Polish brews and vodkas. The cash bar boasts Okocim,Zywiec and Stawski, often on tap, as well as bottles of Tyskie, Perla andLomza, among others. Chopin, Belvedere, Stawski and Ultimat are on the Polish Center’sroster of homeland vodkas. If your appetite for Polish libations cravesexpansion, visit the center for its Polish beer-tasting and vodka-tastingevents, held every July and November, respectively.

Set to a soundtrack ofpolka music and the occasional appearance of a live accordion player, thefamily-style seating offered at the Polish Center’s fish fryencourages diners of many different religious backgrounds to mingle with oneanother as they share a common meal and a beloved tradition.

The Polish Center of Wisconsin (6941 S.68th St., Franklin) serves its fish fry every Friday during Lent, Feb. 19through April 2, from 4:30-8 p.m. $10.95 for adults; $4.50 for children 6-12;children 5 and under eat free. For more information or to make a reservation,call 414-529-2140.