Carnival Fritters

A reader has asked: I want to make some Carnival fritters that are traditional in my husband’s family, but I have never deep fried anything before. Any hints for success?

A: First of all, get everything ready in advance —your pan, a skimmer, and jelly roll pans covered with paper towels to drain the fritters. Second, buy a good deep-fat thermometer, the kind that looks like a ruler, not the type that has a round dial at the top and is attached to a stem. Third, use a large, wide pan and don’t fill it more than halfway with oil. Be very careful to cover the pan of oil when you are finished frying and leave it on the stove to cool completely before moving it. Good luck!