Why Is Haddock The Most Popular Choice In CNY?

Why do we use haddock instead of one of the other fish options for our fish fry?

It turns out haddock is an upstate thing as we live in the belt, the haddock belt. That's the area between Buffalo and Albany where most fish fries will feature haddock. David Bluhm of Channel Fish Processing, a South Boston seafood supplier in business since the 1940s, tells NYUpstate:

"The volume of haddock consumed on Friday nights in Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse is staggering...Around Syracuse -- the amount of fish that's served on Fridays is enough to blow your mind."

Some believe the fish fry itself dates back to Roman Catholic immigrants who abstained from eating meat during Lent. The fish dinner was easy and inexpensive.

Haddock does seem to have a fishier taste than say cod, especially with the skin on, but if you eat yours fried not baked, it may not be so easy to tell the two apart. Frankly, we care more about the breading than the type of fish.

What's more important to you for a fish fry? The breading or the type of fish? Let us know in the comments below!