Church's long-lived annual fish fry tradition continues

Crispy battered cod and tangy homemade tartar sauce were the stars of the show at one of Christ Church of Longboat Key's favorite annual traditions.

Members gathered Aug. 20 to catch up over fried fish and all the fixings for the end-of-summer tradition.

The Rev. Julia Piermont said it is difficult to pin down exactly how long the tradition has continued, but it has been at least two decades. It all began with a few locals catching fish, then cooking up and sharing what they caught.

Now, to feed everyone, the menu features fried cod along with cornbread, salads and desserts.

Sally Rauch whipped up her signature tartar sauce, a longtime staple of the celebration. She said the special sauce came from a friend's recipe, but, over the years, she has made her own version she could scale up to feed the masses.

"It's really nice to give something back," she said.

Andy Sawyer, Joey Cheek, George Rauch and Lutie Uihlein were also on the kitchen crew. 

"They're all founding members of the church, which is why this may go all the way back to the beginning," Piermont said.

The church plans to host one more summer lunch on Sept. 16 at Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant and Pub, 760 Broadway St. A sign-up sheet will be available in the church's main hall.