Cooking with alcohol... question.

[fuerein]

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?

[rick]

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. ::

[qhsdoitall]

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.

[chefchris]

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

[msandoval858]

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.

[The Scent Fairy]

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.

[fuerein]

When you mention World Marketplace are you two refering to World Market (http://www.worldmarket.com/home.jsp) 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?

[Queen of Blades]

Yes Adam, they mean World Market. I know Chris does atleast.

[Zachster]

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!

[Clark Kent]

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.