ALCOHOL IN COOKING

WINE – Wine is a natural beverage made from the juice of crushed grapes. Just as the drinking of wine with food actually improves the taste of food, so the use of wine in cooking of some dishes improves the flavor of the food.

No longer need one worry too much about the principles of which wine to drink with which meat. In times past the basic rule was: white wine with white meat and red wine with red meat. Although this rule is not always adhered to anymore in the drinking of wine, it is usually followed in cooking.

The alcohol in wine is destroyed in cooking; however, the grape flavor remains. The acidity in wine tenderizes meat either in cooking or in a marinade.

BEER – Lager beer, the most common type drunk as a beverage, will produce the most subtle flavor in cooked foods. Heating beer destroys the alcohol in it but does not destroy the flavor.

Beer may be used as a tenderizer in marinades. It also helps to tenderize stew meat or pot roasts when used as the liquid, besides giving the meat a distinct, delicious flavor. Its flavor is also very compatible with cheese in casseroles or soups. Some bread recipes call for beer as the liquid ingredient.