Fried Fish
Perch, brook trout, catfish and all small fish are best fried. Clean, wash quickly in cold water, and immediately wipe dry, sprinkle with salt and pepper, dip in beaten egg and then bread crumbs and fry in hot oil, if convenient, as it is much better than either dripping or lard. Never use butter as it is apt to burn and has a tendency to soften the fish. Be sure that the oil, lard, or dripping is very hot before putting in the fish. A crumb of bread thrown in, browning quickly, shows the fat is hot enough, and the fish will not absorb the grease.