Successful Cooking with DRINKS - ALCOHOLIC

Alcohol has been drunk around the world as part of our diet since prehistoric times. There are two main ways to create an alcoholic drink, either fermenting or distilling. Fermenting is the breaking down of a starch into sugar. If this starch is from a grain or a potato you will make a beer. If it is from grapes, you will get wine . If you distill, the end product you will get will be a spirit.

The strength of alcohol is measured by the percent alcohol by volume (ABV), or in proof. In the USA, the 'proof' measurement is twice the percentage of alcohol by volume at 60 degrees Fahrenheit (e.g. 80 proof = 40% ABV). When you buy a standard measure of an alcoholic drink in a public place you will get a the same measure of alcohol, around 0.6 fl. Oz or 17.75ml.

The three main popular types of alcohol drunk today are:

• Beer: this has a very short fermentation process and a short aging process. It normally has between 3-8% of ABV and tends to be carbonated.
• Wine : this has a much longer fermentation process and an aging process of months or even years. It normally has between 7-18% of ABV
• Spirits: these contain at least 30% ABV. Liqueurs are characterized by the way in which their flavors are infused and typically have high sugar content.

Tips for Cooking with Alcoholic Drinks

it is important to remember that when you cook or prepare food with alcoholic content there is usually still some remaining in your food when you serve it.

The amount still remaining after preparation are:

• Food eaten immediately: 100% remaining
• Food stored overnight: 70% remaining

The amount still remaining after it is cooked is:

• Boiled and removed from the heat: 85% remaining
• Food that is flamed: 75% remaining
• Food that is baked or simmered for 15 mins: 40% remaining
• Food that is baked or simmered for 35 mins: 35% remaining
• Food that is baked or simmered for 1 hour: 25% remaining
• Food that is baked or simmered for 1.5 hours: 20% remaining
• Food that is baked or simmered for 2 hours: 10% remaining
• Food that is baked or simmered for 2.5 hours: 5% remaining

Tips for Cooking with Wine

Both French and Chinese cooking use wine as a main ingredient. Wine can be used as an ingredient in sauces, soups, marinades, and more. It combines well with other flavors and ingredients, such as vinegar, fish paste, soy sauce, and many others. There are many ways you can use wine in food:

• When a recipe calls for water, replace the water with a favorite wine.
• Stir in, and simmer, 1 to 2 tablespoons of a full-bodied red into brown gravy to create rich brown gravy for red meat.
• Mix wine with your favorite oil to baste meat and poultry.
• For meat dishes calling for wine, first heat the wine. Do not boil the wine, this will loose the flavor.
• Adding cold wine tends to make meat tough, while warm wine helps tenderize it.
• Dry red wines have better chemistry with heavier red meats.

Tips for Cooking with Beer

• As beer is bitter use sugary vegetables like onions, carrots, corn, etc., and even add some honey, molasses or sugar itself. Caramelized onions are a classic example of a sweet vegetable ideal with beer.
• The bitter flavor also counteracts the richness of creamy, oil-based or cheese dishes, but flavor-wise, use it as sparingly as you would a squeeze of lime or touch of vinegar.
• The yeast is perfectly suited to baking and battering. Breads, fritters and pancakes profit from being made with very yeasty brews, which lighten the texture and make for tender, tasty crusts.
• Beer tenderizes meats, making for good marinades. Game works well with beer, but so does chicken and fish.
• The more the beer is cooked and reduced, the stronger its flavor will be. If the dish requires long cooking and reduction, avoid using too strong a brew, or you will end up overdoing it.