I simply ask them, "I'm glad you like my jelly but why do you want my recipe?" And pause a good long time with a smile on your face. Then they have to think about it. Wait for the answer, and it will either be that they want to make it themselves, or they are curious about what goes in it. If they answer that they want to make their own, you can say, "But, it's my secret recipe." If they get ornery and insist, ask them again why they want it. Now if they get more insistent, tell them, "If I give you my recipe then what would I have to sell to you?", keeping the smile on. If they still say they just want the recipe, tell them you will gladly give them the recipe but they will have to buy out your current supply and pay you the expected profit from sales for the rest of your lifetime, which given the way modern medicine is going, could be 120 years or so. Then laugh, and offer them another jar for sale, "just in case." If they answer that they are curious about what goes in it, I agree with ksrogers that a list of ingredients is important, and the FDA does want you to list ingredients for everything that is sold on the open market anyway. Ever wonder why commercially canned things just say "spices"? They're not going to say 2 tsp. mustard seed for each quart of ketchup. But, if your jelly is made with Splenda instead of sugar, that is important to note because some people are allergic to it, or, if anything you have for sale includes the common allergens - soy, wheat, eggs, peanuts, etc. it has to be noted in the ingredients list. But hot pepper jelly is pretty straight forward and if they are worried about being allergic to something in it, then offer them something else, like plain old apple jelly. Nancy

Part of the secret might be the technique. In this mass market fast food world, virtually all the fried chicken one encounters is deep fried. Pan fried is crisper, but is less labor-efficient. Calvin Trillin, the food writer for the New Yorker, extols the virtue of pan frying in "The Tummy Trilogy". Great stuff. I had all but forgotten about it until a couple of weeks ago the DW and I stopped to eat in this little hole in the wall cafe in a tiny town in SC. It was a 'meat and three' cafe--you know, choose your meat dish and three sides. Their fried chicken was heavenly. A thin crust, nicely seasoned, as crisp as a cornflake. Wonderful. The link discusses the debate. Here is a link that might be useful: pan fried vs deep fried

Since I like Cap'n Crunch as a cereal, when I saw it on the menu at a local resturant I decided to try it. It was good.... certainly not gourmet but I actually liked it. So I looked for a recipe and used this one: Planet Hollywood Cap'n Crunch Chicken Recipe By : magazine Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Chicken Planet Hollywood Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 2 cups Cap'n Crunch cereal 1 1/2 cups Corn flakes 1 egg 1 cup milk 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 2 pounds chicken breast -- cut in 1oz. tenders vegetable oil -- for frying Creole mustard sauce -- (separate recipe) Coarsely grind or crush the Cap'n Crunch and cornflakes. Set aside. Beat the egg with the milk. Set aside. Stir together the flour, onion and garlic powders and black pepper. Set aside. Dip the chicken pieces into the seasoned flour. Move around to coat well, then shake off excess flour. Dip into the egg wash, coating well, then dip into the Cap'n Crunch/Cornflakes mixture, coating well. Heat oil in a large heavy skillet to 325°F. Drop coated chicken tenders carefully into the hot oil and cook until golden brown and fully cooked: 3 to 5 minutes depending on the size of the tenders. Drain and serve immediately with Creole mustard sauce. Makes 8 servings. I've also baked it and that turned out good too, for that I used larger pieces of chicken. Nancy

I got this from here, I think, years and years ago. It's the BEST! Leila's Crispy Buttermilk Fried Chicken Makes approximately 8 servings This wonderful fried chicken was prepared for my family by Leila - an amazing woman who worked for us and practically raised my brother and I up from pups. It is full of delicious flavor and has the kind of crispy coating that you'll never forget. It is also fried chicken, so nowadays it's something that is served for special occasions only! 3-4 pounds cut-up frying chicken 2 cups buttermilk 2 cups self-rising flour Ground black pepper, to taste Paprika, to taste Garlic powder, to taste Vegetable oil for frying Step 1 - Cut your chicken into parts and wash well. Place in a large bowl and pour buttermilk over. Allow to sit for at least an hour. Step 2 - Mix and sift together flour, black pepper, paprika and garlic powder. Step 3 - Pour enough oil in a large, cast iron skillet to fill it about an inch deep. Heat to 375 degrees. Use a thermometer to carefully regulate the temperature and prevent the oil from burning. Step 4 - Remove each piece of chicken from the buttermilk and shake to remove the excess. Dredge in the seasoned flour. Step 5 - Drop pieces in the hot oil, four at a time. Do not crowd, as this will reduce the temperature of the oil and cause the chicken to absorb more grease. I like starting with dark meat pieces first and saving the white meat for the last. Cook each piece six minutes per side. Turn when the underside is nice and brown. To ensure doneness, cut a small hole in the thickest part - the juices should run clear. Step 6 - Serve and enjoy - either hot from the pan or room temperature! Despite some of the nutritional counts of this recipe, it is practically unbeatable for bringing back the taste (and smell) of home.