*COOKING WITH WINE--THE WINE GODDESS*
Many of us have fond memories of Wolfgang Puck,
Jacques Pepin and the late Julia Child, enthusiastically
adding wine to many of their popular dishes. Europeans, particularly the French
and Italians, have been creating culinary masterpieces with wine for centuries. Americans, in recent
times, have started adding wine to recipes. Achieving success cooking with wine
is relatively easy, provided one follows some basic guidelines.
The "rule of thumb" when selecting a cooking
wine is to select
a wine you would not mind drinking. Definitely avoid selecting a wine you prefer not to
drink. It is a good policy to avoid "cooking wines" from the supermarket as they are
laced with sodium. In fact, it is acceptable to use
whatever wine you have on hand. The type of wine used for cooking does not have
to match the wine being served with the meal.
The great fun of cooking with wine is the experimenting!
There are very few hard and fast rules. Generally, white wines are better for cooking with
poultry, fish and pork. Red wines are generally used with beef. Your taste buds are always the best
judge. Unless it is specifically noted in the recipe, use dry wines for cooking
rather than sweet wines.
The amount of wine you add to your dish depends on
personal taste and the volume of food being prepared. You want to be sure that the wine has the
opportunity to "cook off" during the simmering process. Too much wine will make that process take too
long. Once you have determined the right amount of wine to
add to a particular dish, definitely make a note on the recipe of the amount. Knowing how to cook
with wine will greatly enhance the flavors of many of your favorite dishes. Ultimately, experimenting is the key to your success.
Have fun, cooking with wine is a Delicious experience.
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