Okay there are plenty of recipies that call for several tablespoons to several cups of various alcohols (wines, rums, etc.). Now, I like the unique taste only certain alcoholic beverages can impart but I am not a fan of alcohol itself (any alcohol I've ever tried has had a rather nasty aftertaste IMO). Anyway, to my question. Does anyone know of a good way to store leftover alcohol for later cooking sessions? I'm always reluctant to cook recipies calling for alcohol since I'll end up with 3/4 of a bottle of wine that I have no intention on drinking. Also, if you can store it, how long before the flavors change and make it useless for cooking purposes?
There are vacuum sealing devices that can keep a bottle of red wine drinkable for up to a week....IMO. Putting the cork back into a white and sticking it into the fridge will allow you to enjoy it a while, as well. OTOH....after you use 1 cup to cook with it only leaves a cuppa glasses left to drink with your meal. ::
Your question is tricky since you don't drink alcohol. There are vacuum devices that will seal a bottle and keep it for a while. Most of us don't have too much of a problem because we will have a glass while we are cooking, plus what we put in the food plus a glass at the table. God, it's a good thing I don't cook a lot of things that call for wine. I'd be an alcoholic.
Check with local gourmet stores. Decent wine now comes is single serve portion sizes (8-10 ounces) for a couple of bucks. At least you can minimize waste. The World Marketplace is a great source for single serve wines, if one is close to you. Chris
Small single serve bottles are a great option. Many are inexpensive and suitable for cooking use. The vacuum devices and gas preservation system work well for short term storage, usually 5 days or so from my experience.
I've shopped at World Marketplace since they first started up in San Francisco, some forty years ago. I got some super splits of Piper Heidseck for New Years Eve, and boy were they good. I believe you can shop with them online now.
When you mention World Marketplace are you two refering to World Market as linked? Or are they stores with similar names? I ask because there is a World Market up by the Pentagon that I frequently go to when I am shopping at the Pentagon City/Pentagon Row shopping centers. Rarely buy anything, but I do like much of what they sell. Also thanks for the advice, I have seen those smaller bottles once or twice, for some reason never occured to me to buy those instead :signs002 duh... Isn't it amazing how you can sometimes miss the most obvious answers?
I actually keep bad wine around for cooking -- if I open a bottle and it's corked or I just don't like it, I put a stopper in it and stick it in the fridge, to be used for cooking. Lasts a long time, for cooking purposes (just don't try to drink it). Most wine is added to dishes at a very hot stage (just after browning, for instance), and I don't think it matters if the wine is particularly good or not when it's tossed into a fiery hot pot or pan!
I keep a bottle of red and a bottle of white open at all times for cooking. I use Penfold's Rawson's Retreat Shiraz/Cab blend and Fat Bastard Chardonnay, they are both under $10 and very good for cooking or drinking if you desire. Wine adds tons of flavor to any sauce, I always use one. I keep the wine in the fridge to perserve it after opening. Hard liquors will keep for about 3 years after opening, so you need not worry about them.
