The Wily Walleye

Kim Kessler and friend, 2007

Wherein the professor declares his love for a fish.

The Upper Midwest and Central Canada is the locus of the Walleyed Pike cult.
Sander Vitreus, its scientific name, gives no indication of its revered status on the northern plains. This is not an exciting fish to catch, when hooked it allows itself to be reeled in with a minimum of fighting, indeed, many a Walleye has been thought to have been a snag. Where it excels is in the kitchen.

Light, flaky, fresh-tasting with minimal bones when properly filleted, it is a perfect vehicle for any artistic chef who possesses a mastery of subtle seasoning. I had Walleye tonight, in a local restaurant, it was a perfect antidote to the late winter blahs. Tomorrow the weather here will be in the forties, and in May I'll be able to legally take the Minnesota state fish and savor its goodness without an intermediary.