We are in the heart of Lenten season which means fish on Fridays for Catholics and other faiths. Dishes like this baked maple salmon are a Friday favorite. I grew up in the Catholic Church and fish on Friday was a staple of the Lenten season. I have many memories of visiting Long John Silvers or Captain D's on Fridays. Or, better yet, many of the local churches held "fish frys" on Fridays.

However, fish makes for a great meal whether you are observing the season or not. Among the Amish, fish is very popular. A good Amish fisherman can supply their family with a nice amount of food. Ice fishing is especially popular during the winter on the frozen lakes and ponds of Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.

Amish communities along more southern waterways have really taken a liking to catfish. And the Amish that have moved out west enjoy salmon or trout fishing.

I have many memories of my mother fixing salmon patty suppers when I was a kid. Nothing like a plate full of patties full of fish flavor.

Reader Penny from Canada told me that she simply soaks her salmon in maple syrup for 10 minutes before grilling. I was intriguing that and some photos she sent me of it looks really good. The idea of pairing maple with salmon was intriguing, so yesterday we posted maple chicken, how about maple salmon today?

This recipe has pretty basic ingredients.

The original recipe called for ¾ cup of maple syrup, but we thought that seemed like a little much, so I scaled it down to ½ cup. This recipe comes to us from an Amish woman in Geauga County, Ohio where the sugaring season is in full swing. This doesn't have an insanely mapley flavor, but it makes a very good supper. The longer you soak the fish, the more "maple" flavor it will have. So if you have time and like maple, soak longer than 15 minutes.

The maple really gives the fish a great flavor, a little less "fishy."

Many Amish, by the way, love to fish. Ice fishing is very popular this time of year in places where it is still thick. And there are many Amish fishermen that love to charter deep sea excursions in the Gulf or Atlantic to try their hand at some big catches. And, yes, many head west to try their luck in trout or salmon streams. And if they catch salmon, I can assure you that maple salmon will be on the menu!