St. Peter's Fish Are Blessed, Then Fried

Christians sacrificing eating meat during Lent can come to St. Peter's Episcopal Church on the Green Friday nights for dinners where the sides include macaroni & cheese, fries and coleslaw and the fish are blessed. All meals have two fillets of fried fish topped off with a piece of cake for dessert.

A young man directed a steady line of vehicles Friday evening as families pulled into the church parking lot to pick up takeout orders or dine in.

Kathleen Hickey and her daughter Kalya, 13, volunteered loading a black SUV with 18 meals to be delivered to hungry residents at High Meadows.

It was the second Friday of Ye Old Fish Fry at St. Peter's. It was also held on Feb. 22 and the church will host it one more time this coming Friday. All fish fries are from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

"Aside from being a fundraiser, this is part of our mission and ministry," said The Rev. Kurt Huber, Rector of St. Peter's. "This is only our third year of doing it. We have a ball with it."

Meals cost $8 for adults, $5 for children age 12 and younger and there is a $30 maximum for families. The reverend said orders can be given in person on the night of the fish fry, but people may also call ahead for takeout orders by calling 203-268-4265.

A flier for the event says: "Come as a stranger, leave as a friend. All are welcome."

Helping Those in Need

On Feb. 22, Huber said 18 meal orders were brought to Hidden Knolls, as well as meals to Fairway Acres, another senior living community in town. In some cases, he said meals were donated to residents in need identified through Social Services, and sometimes parishioners decided to pay for others themselves.

Fry cooks operating under a tent outside said the fish fillets were blessed before being dropped into a vat of hot oil.

Trays of crispy fish were then brought into the kitchen and either wrapped in foil for takeout or brought to a serving area by an assembly line of volunteers.

The Rev. Huber said this is this first time his church will have hosted the fish fry three times instead of twice.