Q: I'm curious about red pepper flakes. How are they made? Do they dry the peppers? --Anonymous

A: Red pepper flakes are primarily made from cayenne peppers, although really any dried pepper can be used. They are crushed, but you can used your food processor to make your own at home, if you'd like.

WARNING: This process will produce some pepper "dust." After processing, let the peppers sit for a few minutes so the dust can settle. That way, you won't open the food processor and end up looking like the tail end of a "Cops" video.

Q: Hi, When a recipe calls for all-purpose flour (for instance in a fruit cobbler), what is the difference if you use all-purpose flour adding baking powder and salt or just use self-rising flour in the recipe? --Laura Johnson

A: If your recipe calls for self-rising flour, and all you have is all-purpose, you can make your own self-rising blend by mixing one teaspoon of baking powder and a pinch of salt with a cup of flour. Multiply as needed.

However, if your recipe does NOT call for self-rising, but does have baking powder and salt, I'd recommend following the recipe rather than trying to skip steps. The ratio of leavening agent may not be the same. Even if it is, it's always better to follow the recipe than to trust that the massive mill that made your storebought self-rising flour got the ratio exactly right.

Q: I just got a nice deep fryer. How long can I use the oil for frying? How often should I change the oil? --Blueairsky

A: Welcome to the ranks of the deep-fryers! The first secret is to use the right oil. My favorites are peanut and canola. They've got a high smoke point and are flavor-neutral, so your food will end up tasting like it should.

Watch your temperature. Hopefully, your fryer came with a built-in thermostat. However, before you go trusting a meal to it, use your oil thermometer and make a "test run," setting the thermostat to a series of ascending temperatures and checking with the thermometer to make sure it's accurate.

Don't over-bread your fried materials. Use only enough to coat, and shake off the excess. Flour that comes loose in the oil will become burnt sludge in the bottom of the fryer, and the more particulate matter in the oil, the faster it will burn.

To store your oil, strain it through a very fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth and keep it in a tightly closed container in a cool, dark place. Add a little fresh oil each time you use it and you'll get multiple frying sessions.

Q: How can I make fried foods with a crunchy coating when I flour them? Mine always turns out soft and brown instead of crunchy and brown. Thanks! -- Jane

A: For really crispy fried foods, straight flour may not be your best choice. If you're talking about the kind of crispy coating you get on fish and chips, you need a batter, not flour. Try my tempura batter (recipe below), or any good fish and chips batter recipe!

Tempura Batter

1 c. cold water

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 egg yolk

1 c. sifted flour

1 tbsp. cornstarch

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. garlic powder

½ tsp. Hungarian paprika

1 tsp. salt

Preparation

Heat oil to 350° F.

In one bowl, mix all liquid ingredients. In another, mix dry ingredients. Slowly stir wet into dry, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl frequently for stray clumps.

Batter one batch at a time, and fry until golden brown.

Q: What does one have to do to get fish batter to stick to the fish filet when deep frying? I have made batter with flour and yellow corn meal, but still have trouble getting the batter to stay on the fish. Help please. Thank you. --Dr. John Hudson

A: Wow! Lots of fryers heating up out there. The weather must be staying cool.

In my experience with frying catfish, where one traditionally uses a cornmeal coating, the best bet is straight corn meal, although you can also use 1 c. corn meal mixed with ¼ c. flour for a slightly stickier breading. Just moisten the fish with water, bread and fry in 365° Fahrenheit oil.

For batter-frying, try putting a light dusting of flour on the fish before battering. That will help create a sticky surface for the batter to adhere.

Got a question for Ask The Cook? Send it in and we'll get to work!