2 Batter Up: A Midwest Tradition

Family has been a crucial aspect of my life. All my favorite memories include my extended family, specifically my father’s side. My grandparents had three boys, who had multiple children of their own. This meant holiday gatherings were hectic as the adults wrangled seven energetic grandkids for hours at a time. Whenever I would see media depicting family gatherings as something to loathe, I’d laugh. Thanksgiving and Christmas with my cousins was the highlight of the year. Each gathering would lead to more family secrets being slowly revealed over the years, until entire sagas were revealed. I took great pride in my family and each legend left me yearning for more.

One of the main sources of these legends was my grandpa, David Kent Horn (or Papa). Papa was born in 1939 in Columbus Indiana, where a good amount of the family remains to this day. He grew up having adventures and playing all sorts of sports. His childhood seemed straight out of a Hardy Boys book. He was one of those people who seemed to know everyone and who everyone knew. Papa, like many midwestern grandparents, was a window into the past that connected us with traditions that had been passed down for generations. As I began to contemplate who I should interview, one of his stories came to mind. Papa is one of the very few remaining souls to possess our family’s secret fried fish sandwich recipe.

My Great Grandpa had owned a fish sandwich restaurant right in the middle of downtown Columbus Indiana. He would serve fresh fish from Lake Michigan that came in on ice in freight. Refusing to use frozen fish, he would have to shut down, leaving lines of customers waiting outside the door. One would think this would be detrimental to business, however as soon as the shop reopened the crowd reappeared, anxious for more fish. My family’s and the area’s German ancestry may have contributed to the success of his business. Many Catholic Germans were not allowed to eat red meat on Fridays, giving rise to eating fish and the origins of Fish Fry Friday’s. This is a great example of how culture can impact our world today.

The demand for good fish meant that the recipe was well known around town. One popular customer of my Great Grandpa’s business was Cummins headquarters. Every day at lunch time orders would come flying in over the phone, resulting in trucks of fish sandwiches to be driven a short way to the manufacturing giant’s doors. The sheer number of orders disrupted business operations, resulting in a change in company policy: packages had to be picked up off company property. The most famous customer my grandpa served was none other than Colonel Sanders. At this point in time the Colonel was starting his business and searching for suitable owners to operate his franchises. After long trips on the road, the Colonel would often seek refuge at my Great Grandpa’s restaurant and try to convince him to sell his fish sandwich recipe and open a franchise.

While I’m not at liberty to reveal our family’s exact recipe, I can describe its importance to us. After my Great Grandpa died, my Great Uncle operated the restaurant for a couple years. As fast-food chains such as McDonalds became more prevalent, it became harder and harder to compete. Unable to juggle two businesses, my Great Uncle sold the restaurant but kept the recipe. Years later my grandpa opened his own fish restaurant but with a different recipe and source of fish. Over the years my grandpa and his best friend still fried fish from time to time at family gatherings. The exact taste of his dad’s recipe escaped him as the ingredients and preparation required far too much work for casual consumption. Regardless if the exact results aren’t the same, the legacy remains. Growing up in Indiana meant that family has a special place and stories are one of the ways that we honor them. Just like families in early 20th century Indiana (Magoulick 2014), my family is a tight knit group who really values spending time together, common among many midwestern families that originated from farming communities. The recipe is a way for Papa to remember his parents and the sacrifices they made to give him a great life, while having something to pass on to future generations.

Horns Fried Fish Recipe

Ingredients

• Fresh (preferably white) Fish – at least 4 lbs
• Oil
• 19 Eggs – Beat Well
• 1 Heaping Teaspoon Corn Starch – Beat Well
• 1 Bowl of Flour – Beat Well
• 1 Can Evaporated Milk – Add Slowly while Beating
• 4 Cans Evaporated Milk – Beat Well

Batter 

Mix together:

• 3 Heaping Bowls of Flour
• 1 Heaping Bowl of Cornmeal
• Salt and Pepper to Taste

How to Fry the Fish

• Coat fish in wet ingredients, then dredge in dry Ingredients
• Fry fish for 3 to 4 minutes
• Turn over when floating
• Fry approximately one more minute

References

Horn, David. Interview by Zac Horn. Columbus, IN, June 22, 2023.

Magoulick, M. (2014). Foodways of Southern Indiana in the Early 20th Century. Digest: A Journal of Foodways and Culture, 2(2).