Fishy Friday

When I was younger, I used to tell everyone that I hated seafood, except for shrimp, lobster, crab, oysters and mussels.  One day, Momma asked “So, you like seafood, you just don’t like fish.”  Oh. Right.  Yeah.  I don’t like fish.  Actually, no.  I hate fish.

Don’t write in and tell me how unhealthy that is for me.  I’ve actually branched out (in large part) to sushi and eat it a couple of times a week, but I digress…

My family loved to have fish fries.  And by that I don’t mean fries made of fish (a la fish sticks, which, I will eat only with an insane amount of ketchup, you know, so that I don’t taste the fish.  STOP JUDGING.  oh, what the hell–judge away!).  What I mean is a fish fry.  But plural, because we had them a lot.  What was served at our fish fry?  Catfish (usually caught by my mother, who LOOOOOOOOVES to fish), fries, coleslaw, and hushpuppies.  What would I eat?  Hush puppies and coleslaw (I wasn’t a big fan of fries either.  I was a weird child).  Once we only had fish and fries and I ate NOTHING.  It was traumatic.

Needless to say (but I’m going to anyway), as I got older I started appreciating fish more and after living in Australia for 3 years, I developed a fondness for fish & chips!

After what was (at the very least) a monthly protest of “eating” fried fish, you can imagine my mother’s shock when on a trip home, I requested it.  There’s a place in town called Catfish Haven.  And it’s pretty darn tasty.  Aside from the fish, they also have fried okra, which is something you CANNOT get here in NYC.  I never look at the menu, except to keep me occupied while waiting for the waitress.  I always, always get the 3-piece, extra crispy, with a baked potato and all the toppings.  Yes, I said extra crispy.  I need to feel that crunch when I bite into it.

Honestly, the best part of the lunch is going with The Girls:  Momma and her two best friends (and cousins) Jeanie Bel and Carole.  In addition to good food, there’s a lot of laughter, which provides something every great fish fry has to have: a sense of family and of home.