There’s something special about summer other than the warmer temperatures, especially when you live in the northern climes where winter can get awfully cold and snowy, even a bit too long.

What makes summer extra special for me is that my cuisine mainly is centered on the vegetables from my garden and fresh fish.

Although not the angler that I was in my youth, fresh walleye seems to find a way to my dining room table during the summer months, usually courtesy of my neighbors, Melissa and Aaron Defoe, or a good friend, John Zavoral, all of whom love to fish.

My latest meal of walleye was complemented with some fresh garden fare, steamed broccoli and sour cream cucumbers along with new potatoes. And the pan-fried walleye was as good as any I’ve ever eaten, even those shore lunch meals on long-ago fishing trips.

The only thing that would have had made it better would have been a slide of homemade apple pie with a scoop of ice cream.

Pan-Fried Walleye
4 walleye fish fillets
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pinch salt (Optional)
2 large eggs, beaten
2 cups finely crushed saltine crackers
Vegetable oil for frying
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Cut fillets into manageable pieces, if necessary.
Combine flour, garlic powder, pepper and salt in a shallow bowl. Place beaten eggs in a separate shallow bowl. Place cracker crumbs onto a plate.
Heat oil in a deep fryer or large cast iron skillet to 375 degrees.
Dip fillets into flour mixture, then in beaten egg. Coat evenly with cracker crumbs.
Place walleye fillets into hot oil and cook until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Serve with lemon wedges.