You know how I know it's Lent? Fast food fish sandwiches.

"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
02/19/2015 at 22:55 • Filed to: None

I'm a Jew. As you may have heard, we Jews don't exactly keep up on facacta goyish holidays like Lent. But I still know it's Lent, because all the fast food restaurants are advertising the hell out of their fish sandwiches.

I remember as a kid, I didn't know what Lent was, and I always found the sudden onslaught of fast food fish sandwich commercials odd. 10 year-old me thought,

"That's the worst thing on the menu. Why does McDonald's think anyone would get excited about deals on the nasty disgusting Filet-O-Fish?"

Adult me knows why: because those Catholics and their Lenting have no choice but to eat fast food fish sandwiches.

Both 10 year-old me and adult me agree that it is completely insane to put cheese on a fish sandwich.

Ok, so maybe I had some help on knowing it was Lent.

Enjoy eating your square, inexplicably-paired-with-cheese fish, Catholics.

DISCUSSION (17)

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Textured Soy Protein
02/19/2015 at 23:06

From one Jew to another, never go to a church fish fry during lent. We tried it once, to immerse ourselves in more culture. Three and a half hour wait in the line.

I haven't been to another one because my blanket assumption that they all must be like this cannot possibly be wrong. Also I hate fish.

lonestranger > Textured Soy Protein
02/19/2015 at 23:06

There's something about Christians and fish on Fridays, as well. Remember when McD's had different deals on different burgers each day, like Big Mac Tuesdays, Quarter Pounder Thursdays, etc.? Filet o' Fish was Fridays, because religion.

EDIT: P.S. Now I want a Filet o' Fish.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > Textured Soy Protein
02/19/2015 at 23:07

Well, someone has to win Lent. I mean, it's practically a game to see who can out-Lent who. Or to see who gets the first comment about having run into a pile of ashes after Mardi Gras.

Disclaimer: We had a sizeable Catholic population where I grew up. I'm Lutheran. So yes to Lent, no to fast food fish sandwiches.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
02/19/2015 at 23:14

Almost anything potlucky or fish fry-y tends to be done not so much for the food, but for other reasons I'm not able to work out (and haven't been able to for 27 years).

So I am just a musician.

The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 > Textured Soy Protein
02/19/2015 at 23:22

So it's not a black history month thing?

Textured Soy Protein > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
02/19/2015 at 23:24

Here in Wisconsin, lots of bars and supper clubs do fish fry every Friday. This is a really Catholic state. So I don't really need to go out of my way to get some fish fry if I'm feeling so inclined.

Textured Soy Protein > The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123
02/19/2015 at 23:24

Purely coincidental.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Textured Soy Protein
02/19/2015 at 23:26

Tonight I thought it was odd that Arby's windows were covered with fish sandwich ads, now I know.

shop-teacher > Textured Soy Protein
02/19/2015 at 23:33

This is also the time of year that pepper and egg sandwiches are EVERYWHERE

Tohru > shop-teacher
02/19/2015 at 23:54

You mean you don't normally put pepper on your eggs?

Tohru > lonestranger
02/19/2015 at 23:55

If you are a practicing Catholic, you cannot eat meat on Fridays during Lent. Fish is fair game.

Tohru > Textured Soy Protein
02/19/2015 at 23:58

As a recovering Catholic, I enjoy this time of year because they have specials on the sandwiches and french fries. Mickey D's special is if you buy a (Filet 'o Fish or large fry) at regular price, you can get a (Filet 'o Fish or large fry) for just $0.50 more.

shop-teacher > Tohru
02/20/2015 at 05:25

Usually just salt

V8Demon - Prefers Autos for drag racing. Fite me! > Textured Soy Protein
02/20/2015 at 05:28

Thanks, now I want a fish sandwich. A d believe it or not, cheese isn't bad on them.

Meatcoma > Textured Soy Protein
02/23/2015 at 14:47

Don't knock Culvers, their fries are the best. Cooked in peanut oil til crispy.

Textured Soy Protein > Meatcoma
02/23/2015 at 14:53

I love Culver's, but I've never been much of a fan of their fries. I'm not a huge ripple-cut fry fan in general. They always feel manufactured to me. Not that other fast food places don't also have frozen, manufactured fries, but at least they have a pretense of looking like someone cut up some potatoes.

(I just used a Culver's commercial because it was what inspired me to write this post.)

Meatcoma > Textured Soy Protein
02/23/2015 at 15:18

All good.