Fish Sticks

Thursday at St. Edmund's Academy meant Chapel Day.
Chapel Day meant official school uniform.
Official school uniform meant knee socks, gray kilt, collared white button-down shirt, tie, maroon blazer, and any lapel pins you had collected over the years.

On one particular Chapel Day in first grade - a Chapel Day when the first grade parents hosted coffee and doughnuts following the service, I remember processing out of the chapel, into the rec hall lined with said doughnuts, and seeing my Dad in his cardiology-department-finest talking to the PTA moms. The moment I saw him my eyes welled up, and Chapel uniform and all, I lost all sense of professionalism and started balling.

My Dad rushed over to ask what was wrong.
They call me mean names - they call me Fishface, Fisherman, Fisherprice lady, Fish, Fishy ... I don't like it.
My Dad gave me hug. Just that hug - just him showing up for Chapel Day made it all better. But he took it a step further. He made the name calling 100% A-Okay.
He said, Who's calling you Fish Face?
The boys. 
Well, you know what ... when I was little, they used to call me Fish Sticks.
Fish Sticks?! (little giggle)
Yes, Fish Sticks. And I used to hate it. But you know what, I survived. It was just a name. And soon enough, they stopped. The boys in your class will stop too. They will realize that they don't want to make fun of the pretty girl that they all have a crush on.
Fish sticks? (big giggle) That's worse than Fish Face!
See ... now go get a doughnut. 
That was a great doughnut. 


Being called a litany of Fish-based names never really stopped though. They carried on well past the first grade. In fact, some of the biggest perpetrators were my teammates in college. I was L.Fish or just Fish to them - "Hear we go Fish!" - "Shoot harder Fish!" - "What do you call that dance move Fish?!" - "Eat something Fish!"
 
It's a Friday in Lent and all around town, past every Parish, I can see all the names I used to be called - Fresh Fish, Fish Fry, Fish, Fish Sticks! Although through the latter part of my life those names became terms of endearment more than anything, they still remind me of my sad Chapel Day in first grade - the day my Dad came to the rescue and told me that I was part of his secret society - his lineage of Fish-isms.

So tonight Dad, I made our namesake - Fish Sticks. I conquered the name-calling and fried away my foes. Although those wonderful VandeKamp ones that our trifecta of babysitters, Patty, Edy and Debbie, used to feed us when you were running late would have done, I decided to make my own. And they were delightful. So delightful that I wonder why we were ever offended about being called their name.

To all Fischers out there, this recipe is for you! And to my teammate Dani, who knew me by one name on and off the field - "Fish" - here's your first Lenten recipe - I promise it'll please the kiddos, the hubby, and your pregnant self!

You need: 
Salt, cayenne pepper, 2 eggs, water, 3/4 cup flour, 1 cup panko bread crumbs, vegetable oil, and 1 and 3/4 pounds Cod cut into 4 by 3/4 inch strips.

Then you will: 
Get out three bowls - in the first whisk together the eggs and water, in the next mix together 1/2 cup of flour with cayenne and salt, and in the third mix together the panko crumbs with the remaining flour.

Working in batches dip the fishies in the flour, then the egg, then the panko/flour mixture. Then set each one aside.

In a large, deep skillet heat 1 1/2 inches of oil to 325 degrees. Fry the fish (about 3 minutes each, turning over once) and set on paper towels to remove excess oil. Serve immediately on sandwiches with cocktail sauce. I made my own, but Heinz does just as well.

Lo, the Fish.