Q&A with Glenys Woollard

My American pancake recipe calls for oat flakes - can you buy these here?

Yes. Rolled oats are also known as oat flakes, and they come in a range of sizes, such as thick, regular, quick and baby rolled oats. Unlike oatmeal, oat flakes have been precooked, making them suitable for lightly cooked goods. For finer-textured pancakes, blitz the oats in a food processor first. You may also find oat flakes in the cereal section of supermarkets; these are similar to cornflakes and not likely to be the ingredient you want.

Do you have a recipe for pears cooked in red wine?

Place one cup red wine in a pot with four tablespoons sugar, a cinnamon stick and two cloves. Bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Meanwhile, peel four pears, leaving the stalk intact. Lower the pears into the wine liquid and gently poach for up to an hour, until tender. Remove pears and if necessary boil the liquid until syrupy. Discard spices and pour the syrup over the pears. Chill before serving with whipped cream.

If you have a food question email Glenys at glenyswoollard@clear.net.nz