Friday night fish fries are a Lenten tradition in Wisconsin, but they are also something bigger: a weekly ritual that has become part of the state’s identity. In communities like New Glarus, the fish fry is as much about gathering with friends, family and neighbors as it is about what is on the plate.

The roots of the tradition run deep. Histories of the Wisconsin fish fry trace it to Catholic immigrants, especially German and Polish settlers, who abstained from eating meat on Fridays and turned to fish instead. Wisconsin’s access to freshwater fish helped, but so did the state’s strong tavern, roadhouse and supper club culture, which gave the custom a public home beyond churches and family kitchens.