Fry Day Memories

Every two years or so we thumb our nose at the American Heart Association and invite folks to Tulip Hill for the grease poppin' blowout known as Fry Day. This year I talked some of my dearest Batesville friends, the McClain sisters, Lori, Julie (Gunstream Girl), and Jennie (Trimandfashionable)and their significant others, J. and Tommy, into making a trek up here for the occassion. Not only did they drive 9 hours to visit (5 for Julie and Tommy) they came ready to help--loaded with fresh okra, dinnerware, drinks, music and a homemade cake that said, "Like it? Fry it!" on the top (the mangled remains are on the table in the picture). McClain mom, Ms. Pat, raised these girls right. We spent the day Saturday chopping, prepping, shopping and reliving memories of childhood summer fish fries.
I found a roll of bacon tape I'd bought which made nice nametags. Julie models her bacon strip here.



When things really got going we had a fryer outside for the catfish, hushpuppies, fried pickles (pickle-o's), french fries, and okra (Jennie's recipe, and maybe the best fried okra I've ever had!). Inside, John's mom figured out how to fry black-eyed pea fritters (another sleeper hit).



After that things got a little crazy, and eventually people were frying Oreos and Raspberry Newtons (a favorite of mine), and the desserts people brought. Lori found a Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pie in her purse so we fried that too. You can tell by the look on her face that she has a healthy respect for hot grease.

The pictures don't do the event justice, but this one sort of says it all. Gayle (2nd from the right) had her birthday that night so we sang Happy Fryday to her. You could tell she was really touched.

There aren't too many friends who will indulge this level of red neckedness (even I was a little overwhelmed), but everybody got into the spirit of things. We sat on the front porch talking and laughing until about 2:00 a.m. stacking up plenty of memories to last us until Fry Day 2008.