Alchohol in Cooking

[YoungBlood]

I just had to post because I remember as a young scout being shocked when reading recipes out of a SCOUT cooking book. My patrol and myself immeditately found a recipe that called for wine in the making of the sauce. I can't remember the exact scout cooking book but I am looking around now to see if I can find it again. I would have to agree with acco40, aslong as the parents were fine with it, then I wouldn't see any problem aslong as the bottle was kept with an adult untill cooking time.

[mk9750]

Ed,

 

You're right, it was your post that prompted the memory. It's obviously not been a pressing issue for a year, so it really isn't a big deal now. Just thought I'd ask since I was thinking about it.

 

Mark

[Twocubdad]

I you're cooking for adults, Ed, that doesn't bother me at all. But as I said earlier, it's a can of worms which doesn't need to be opened.

 

Last month the boys buy the prepared steak at the grocery store. This month they bring the home-made version. Next month they're running out of time, so they just stick the whole wine bottle in the backpack. The following month we're all in the SE's office because a couple boys decided drinking the wine would be more fun than cooking with it.

 

The time to have handled the situation was during the first month. "Guys, I'm really pleased that you're trying to raise the bar with your cooking, but BSA has some really strict policies about having alcohol on Scout outings. I'm really proud of the initative your showing with your cooking, but how can we accomplish the same results while staying within the rules?"

 

I'll also concede that there is probably some cultural element to the matter. In this part of the country, adding wine to the pork chops, collards, green beans and sweet potatoes isn't much of an issue.

 

FOG, if the sherry has been rendered and says on the bottle 0% alcohol, then no problem. Simply show the bottle to the campmaster and ask him if he would like to join you for dinner. But I think the thread has opened the subject a little more broadly than whether or not cooking sherry is technically considered an alcoholic beverage.

 

I'll have to go with Saltheart on this. It's a slippery slope that we don't need to be on.

[Fat Old Guy]

"Guys, I'm really pleased that you're trying to raise the bar with your cooking, but BSA has some really strict policies about having alcohol on Scout outings."

 

That would be lying to the Scouts.

 

" This month they bring the home-made version. Next month they're running out of time, so they just stick the whole wine bottle in the backpack. The following month we're all in the SE's office because a couple boys decided drinking the wine would be more fun than cooking with it"

 

You must not have much confidence in your Scouts. So much for the whole idea of Trustworthy.

[Fat Old Guy]

I've been doing some research, if I may use that word since I didn't establish any data collection criteria or run it past an academic, on cooking sherry.

 

According to numerous wine related web sites "Cooking Sherry," has been salted to make it undrinkable. It is not considered a beverage by the government.

 

I did find an interesting column from a "help columnist" about cooking sherry and alcoholics. Evidently he doesn't believe that all the alcohol will evaporate at 212 degrees F so he recommends that all alcoholics not eat any dish prepared with cooking sherry. Evidently, he never studied chemistry on the way to getting his doctorate.

 

 

[Twocubdad]

(In full hair-splitting mode)

 

FOG -- G2SS says "...BSA prohibits the use of alcoholic beverages..."

 

My dictionary defines beverage as "any one of a number of liquids intended for consumption." Therefore an alcoholic beverage would be a liquid containing ethanol intended for consumption. It doesn't matter that the liquid isn't consumed as a stand-alone drink. Consuming it as an ingredient in another food product still makes it an alcoholic beverage.

 

Further, since the "use" of an alcoholic beverage is prohibited, it doesn't matter if we drink it, use it in spaghetts sauce, rub it on our knee or put it in a camp stove.

 

Of course, FOG, you can gerrymander the rules any way you like (see previous threads on how "may not allow the use of tobacco products" can be tortured to mean what we want it to). I'll stick with the obvious interpretation.

 

If trustworthy means we can discard all precautions, why don't we allow Scouts to bring their own firearms to camp and keep them with them, allow youth and adults to tent together, and drop the two-deep rule? Hey, if you can't trust Scouts to behave and follow the rules, who can you trust?

[le Voyageur]

Twocubdad....

 

Yes, I know the differance , the intention was to split hairs a wee bit and wade off into a gray murky area.

Consider, that once upon a time sherry was used medicinially. And it now appears that redwine is making a medicinaially comeback also.

 

Now lets really jump on the slippery slope...here's a for instance that may eventually happen. Setting the stage....consider your self the Camp Director for you Council's summer camp. In comes your health lodge officer with a copy of a SM's health form where a doctor has prescribed a glass of wine to be takened at bedtime....do you allow the SM to follow his doctor's order, or do you supercede to BSA guidelines??

 

[evmori]

twocubdad,

I normally err on the side of caution in these instances, too. I am in no way advocating bringing alcohol on troop or patrol campouts. All I am suggesting is if done properly, cooking with alcohol can be done safely.

 

Ed Mori

Scoutmaster

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[Twocubdad]

We follow the doctor's order. The wine will be kept in the drug locker and will be dispensed by the heath officer at the proper time, sitting on a cot in the health lodge (no cheese and crackers around the campfire). But before hand I would have a conversation with the Scouter as to whether or not this is a real medical necessity or if he and a friendly docter were just having fun. Is that really the example he wants to set?

 

If you really want to split hairs, what the policy says is "The Boy Scouts of America prohibits the use of alcoholic beverages and controlled substances..." It just says controlled substances -- no exemption for prescribe drugs. You don't think we should prohibit Scouts from taking prescribed medications just because they are on the DEA list do you?

 

Ed, you slid you post in ahead of me. I agree with you. I'm really not as unretractable as my rhetorical posts may lead you to believe. I wouldn't throw you out of camp for showing up with your marinated beef. But as you said, we should err on the side of caution.(This message has been edited by Twocubdad)

[le Voyageur]

Twocubdad

 

Your solution was the same as mine...and actually, I do have a Rx for a gill of wine, reason, can't handle the statin base drugs.

As stated before, it all comes down to using common sense when we hit the grey areas. Just as smokers are ask not to smoke in the presence of scouts, there's no problem in applying the same standard here...

[kasane]

Just to turn the thread a bit.

 

If there is to be no controlled substances consumed while on scouting business, then smokers would have wait until they are out of uniform and the scout business is finished. This would apply across the board to committee meetings, campouts, troop meetings, etc.

 

There would be no sneaking off behind the bushes to have a smoke. The kids know who smokes and wondering if it is so bad, why are the leaders doing it anyway (and sneaking off to do it)? They may not be smoking in the presence of scouts, but you can sure smell the tobacoo smoke when they get back. What message is that?

 

Also when leaders/parents are driving kids to camp and other outings, the leaders/parents driving their own car, smoke during the drive. We have seen kids head for the non-smoking cars when they can.(This message has been edited by kasane)

[evmori]

Never knew tobacco was a controlled substance? Interesting!

[kasane]

Tobacco is a controlled substance. You can't buy it unless you are a certain age (depends on the state/province). You are carded if you don't look the legal age and tt is illegal to consume if you are underage.

 

It is also illegal for an adult to provide the substance to minors.

[evmori]

Couldn't find it on the DEA website that contains the list of controlled substances.

[kasane]

You are correct Ed.

 

Wrong word - I should have used regulated instead of controlled. The laws here in the USA differentiate alcohol, tobacco and controlled substances.

 

The point that I was making however is still the same - if you can't have any alcohol anywhere at a scout function (including religious ceremonies), then tobacco will have to be prohibited too.(This message has been edited by kasane)