Today we will distribute the yard art around the pond and set up the game area in preparation for Saturday's fish fry. We expect about 30 people this year. The party peaked at about 50 people pre-plague but has diminished somewhat post Covid. Linda and I supply pasta salad, mac salad, fruit salad, carnival sausage, and of course beer. I serve both a honey ale and a light lager at the party. Both are draft form from my Keg-o-lator, an old freezer that I repurposed. The Perch used for the fry have been jigged by several people and we have about 20 pounds to 25 pounds of "bacon" sized fillets to fry. I will also remove the 2 1/2 gallons of toasted brown ale that I brewed last winter for the beer batter I use for the fish. Will simmer the beer at 175 degrees to remove the alcohol and also add some Cascade Hops to strengthen the bitterness slightly. The brew makes an excellent batter for the Perch, or as we call them, the poor man's shrimp.
This is our big and only get together for the year and we have hosted this party for about thirty years. The party begins at about 10AM and will be wound down about 6 or 7 PM.
