Tradition

Golden brown dough for dipping into syrup.

Welcome to Fritter Friday.

Tradition

Warm hand sized golden brown bread balls that get dipped in syrup. 

This is one of the traditions I have. Fritter Friday.  

Why is this a tradition for me? 

I grew up Catholic, so this time of year is Lent. A time of repentance and sacrifice. And no meat on Fridays. Growing up this annual dinner choice was always anticipated because it was sooooo not normal. I mean, yeah, we’d have breakfast for dinner on occasion, but this was a whole meal of fried bread and syrup. How awesome is that!!!

I remember my mother standing over the stovetop pulling apart the bread dough loaves and shaping them into palm sized ovals or discs. We’d watch the dough dip below the heated oil to pop up and float and cook. I loved watching as she flipped or nudged the dough so it could cook on the other side. It was a little too difficult to keep several loaves of fried dough warm enough for the seven of us to eat at once, so Mom would cook and we’d eat the fritters as they came to the table. 

It was just a glorious meal because it was so freeing: eating with our fingers, ripping open the fritters and dipping them into the syrup. No proper cutting needed! I loved it. 

When I moved to Kentucky, making it home for the annual event was difficult, so I carried on the tradition here. Because of me, several kids in my children’s classes were exposed to Fritter Friday and while they were in high school, it became an event they wanted to attend.  I’d have fun listening to them enjoy the fritters while I continued to cook them, just like my mom listened to us as she cooked. 

I have no real idea where the idea came from. Was it purely a Lenten thing? Was it a carry over from the Great Depression? I don’t know. We never asked my paternal grandmother from whom we have this tradition. Not knowing the origins is a little worrisome because I wouldn’t want to be perpetuating something not good, but for me the tradition is a way to connect to happy memories of my past, feel closer to my family and have fun. 

So this past Friday we had Fritter Friday in Kentucky. My son is home, my daughter brought her boyfriend to experience it. The golden chicken looking pieces of dough were nestled into the roasting pan so we could all eat together. We sat and had an enjoyable meal.

I felt close to my family in Chicago as I ate fritters in Kentucky. 

Do you have family traditions you enjoy? Do you ever question their origin? Let me know!