Grab a Bottle and Cook Up Some Fun
So many of us have crazy busy schedules, fussy kids, and diet restrictions that make cooking a real hassle. But try to find some time -- maybe one weekend evening -- when you break out of the ordinary and plan a special meal.
Open a nice bottle of wine and sip some, pour some. Cooking with wine can amp up the flavors of your dish and help turn the cooking into a fun, shared event rather than a dreaded chore - if you follow these three rules of cooking with wine!
Cooking with wine means tasting while you cook - you can taste the food too!
Rule #1
If you wouldn’t drink it, don’t cook with it. In other words, you’re better off not getting cooking wine in the vinegar section of the supermarket. Many of those are full of salt and don’t allow for the subtle flavors of the dish. A French saying, “The better the wine, the better the dish,” sums it up quite well. You don’t necessarily need to cook with a costly wine but do choose something good enough to sip from a glass.
Rule #2
A second point about cooking with wine is that the alcohol disappears during the cooking process, so don’t worry about getting tipsy. Even if Nana secretly pours half a bottle of Chianti into her sauce, you won’t get sauced from it – as long as it continues to cook. The dish should reach the boiling point and then simmer, letting the flavors intensify as the alcohol evaporates, leaving luscious flavors behind.
Rule #3
Third, choose a wine that would be a good match for the dish you’re making. If stirring up a hearty beef stew, add something like a full-bodied red burgundy or Pinot Noir. If you’re cooking a delicate fish dish, add a dry white such as a Pouilly-Fuisse or Vouvray from France.
Add some dry Riesling to sautéed or roast chicken. The Dreissigacker Riesling Organic Trocken is a great choice.
Flex your ability to cook with wine with this mussel recipe!
Learn By Example
Mmm-mmm, the aroma of seafood and white wine is so satisfying. Women’s Day Magazine has an excellent recipe for mussels with wine.
This recipe is simple and consists of just a few ingredients. Get some crusty bread to soak up the broth, and you’ll be in heaven.
There are so many other wines that are fantastic in recipes. Check out Boston Winery’s wine-tasting events and explore some more!
