Forget your old friends and make new ones this year on the church fish fry circuit

Some out-of-state friends whom I probably haven’t seen in 35 years reached out this week to say they were going to be in town and suggested we get together Friday night.

I begged off, explaining I had already promised to take my wife to a fish fry.

I tell you this so you’ll understand I’m a person who keeps his priorities in order.

Blowing off old friends for a fish fry? Those are my priorities?

Yes, I think that was their reaction, too.

But like many Chicagoans, my next six Friday nights are pretty much scheduled away. I will be on the Catholic church fish fry circuit.

Two pieces of battered cod or pollock, french fries or potato salad and coleslaw on a paper plate. Usually priced at $10 to $12.

Now that’s living.

If you play your cards right, you can visit a different church fish fry in Chicago every Friday night during Lent. Or if you’re allergic to church basements, the Irish-American Heritage Center, 4626 N. Knox Ave., provides a similar dining experience, complete with Irish folk dancers, through and including Good Friday, April 10. (The churches generally quit a week earlier.)

It sounds like something for old people, and maybe it is, but there are plenty of families, too, and I’ve even seen hipsters at the fish fry at St. Alphonsus, 1429 W. Wellington Ave.

There’s a Facebook page, Chicago Lenten Fish Fry Club, where you can find a handy schedule.

The “club,” now in its ninth year, is really just Jenny Pfafflin, 40, an employee of a local craft brewery.

“I have some friends that will join me from time to time,” she said.

Pfafflin grew up Catholic in Glendale Heights eating her mom’s fish sticks on Friday nights during Lent. Then she attended the University of Wisconsin in Madison, where she was exposed to that state’s serious romance with the fish fry. Pfafflin became a devotee.

“They were social and relatively cheap — and they were delicious,” Pfafflin said.

When she returned to Chicago, Pfafflin couldn’t figure out why “fish fry culture” was not as strong here.

I’m not sure if she ever found an answer, but Pfafflin has done her part to make it stronger, although I questioned her priorities when she told me she was skipping the circuit this Friday night to keep a dinner reservation with a friend, before heading to spring training in Mesa next week.

Nobody deserves as much credit for keeping the tradition alive as those who do the hard work of actually conducting the fish fries.

At St. Christina’s, 3333 W. 110th St., it takes 70 to 100 volunteers each week to put on the fish fry, held every Friday night during Lent, said coordinator Gary Nothnagel.

St. Christina’s fish fry is celebrating its 25th year, and Nothnagel has been there from the start.

Nothnagel said he buys 700 pounds of frozen white pollock a week, which his volunteers must thaw, rinse and squeeze free of excess water before hand-breading and frying.

Nothnagel said it’s the fresh breading that sets St. Christina’s apart — along with the chocolate pudding for dessert. After he mentioned the pudding, I promised to make the drive down there this year.

Making its first appearance on the circuit is St. Symphorosa, 5940 W. 62nd St., where the parishioners decided to change up the annual Lenten supper with a fish fry.

“Many of our community members asked. People are getting excited about it,” said Monica Wodke, one of the organizers.

The parish, located just west of Midway Airport in the Clearing and Garfield Ridge neighborhoods, used to have a VFW post that held a popular fish fry until a few years ago.

My wife was raised on such events in the south suburbs and long waxed nostalgic about their demise until we discovered Pfafflin’s list. What’s the attraction?

“I love seeing all those good people and their community of work and service,” my wife said. “The men manning the fryers and sharing some beers. The teachers herding the dancers. The ladies selling the tickets and serving the cake. God love ‘em.”

Don’t let her fool you. She’s in it for the food, just like me.

As soon as I finish writing this, we’re heading to St. Andrew’s, 1710 W. Addison St., which Pfafflin touts as one of the best fish fries. We agree.

The fish is fried to order, she notes, and they offer a slice of sheet cake for dessert for an extra dollar.

By the way, I’m getting together with those old friends on Sunday. I’m not a complete schmuck.