Serving up smelt & smiles

Medford Area Fire Department held annual smelt feed on May 10

The Medford Area Fire Department Smelt Feed was held on May 10 at the Medford Fire Hall. Crowds enjoyed a meal of batterfried smelt, haddock, coleslaw and potato salad.

The annual event is put on by the firefighters to raise money for training, equipment and other fire department needs. Generations of area residents have taken part in the annual smelt feed supporting the firefighters while enjoying a great meal.

There is a certain art to cooking the perfect smelt.

The steps are deceptively basic. You smother the fish in batter and then dump them in a vat of hot oil and then serve. As with many things that appear deceptively easy from the outside, the process of preparing the perfect smelt is more complicated than appears at first glance.

You start with the fish making sure they are rinsed and that excess water is drained out. The batter is mixed up with ingredients like eggs and flour and beer in a perfect ratio to coat without clumping and give the proper ratio of fish to coating.

The fryers are necessarily large to accommodate the river of fish needed to satisfy new hungry patrons. It is important to bring the oil to the right temperature. Too low and you end up with greasy and soggy fish, too hot and the batter will burn before the fish is cooked through.

Even placing the smelt in the hot oil involves skills. Using a specialized scoop, the cook shakes the batter covered smelt onto the hot oil a few at a time to keep them from clumping up. Other cooks use spider strainers to break up any clumps that do occur and to ensure the fish are cooked evenly on all sides. Through years of experience, they can tell by sight and smell just when the fish are ready to be pulled from the oil and brought in to serve the hungry crowds.

Firefighters at the Medford Area Fire Department along with their families and friends have spent decades honing their smelt fry skills and it shows through on the smiling faces and laughter of the crowds in attendance.

Photos by Brian Wilson Layout by Janna Johnson