Alchohol in Cooking

[SR540Beaver]

NJ,

 

The mission statement of the BSA is, "The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law."

 

My point is that making ethical choices involves being able to discern what is right and what is wrong. Alcoholic beverages have no place at scouting events and is covered in the rules. Cooking sherry is not an alcoholic beverage, but is a food flavoring. The scouts and scouters should be able to discern the difference and make the proper ethical choice as to which one can be brought to events and which one can't.

 

 

[NJCubScouter]

Kwc,

 

I have no problem with the idea that the issue of alcoholic beverages vs. liquids that look somewhat like alcoholic beverages, but have other purposes, is one of a number of possible tools that can be used to teach and demonstrate the making of ethical choices. I would point out that the factual scenario that started off this thread is not an example of teaching ethical choices. Just the opposite. It seems that the Scoutmaster wasn't really sure whether the cooking sherry should be allowed on the trip, the campmaster was sure it should not be there, and all that happened was a big controversy. It does not sound like anyone learned anything from it -- other than, not to bring the cooking sherry next time. So even if, under other circumstances, someone could have learned something useful from this, it is pretty clear to me that under these circumstances, it would have been better for all concerned if the container in question had been a jar of Prego sauce (nothing wrong with Prego, by the way), instead of a bottle of cooking sherry.

[mk9750]

Sorry NJ, but I have to disagree.

 

There IS value in teaching boys how to cook using a recipe and not premade ingredients.

 

There IS value in teaching the proper uses for even those things that can become evil (and there is a place for it in Scouting).

 

There IS value in using the oppurtunity to discuss how the difference of opinion between the SM and the campmaster could have been resolved better (I'm not suggesting that we should bring alchohol just to provide a reason for these two guys to argue!).

 

And lastly, I don't think there is much difference whether the bottle was cooking sherry or Southern Comfort (I use Southern Comfort as part of the hot sauce I make when I make chicken wings, although I've never made them at a BS camp). If alchohol intended for cooking is wrong, it's wrong. I'm not so sure I think it is. Perhaps we may be wiser if the adults controlled the bottle, to prevent mischeviousness, but even if we didn't, I am VERY confident that if there was a full bottle of drinkable liquor in our campsite, and all knew it was intended for cooking, it could sit in plan view of all, and still be full (less what was used for cooking) by the end of the campout. This is a credit to the parents of our Scouts who have done a fine job raising great kids, AND to our Troop that supplements the parents by also teaching right from wrong. And if I am right, there is positive value in bringing the bottle, if for no other reason than to provide an oppurtunity to prove to the Scouts how great they are.

 

Sorry, I got interupted three times typing this, so it might seem rambling (I mean more than most of my posts). I hope you decipher what I meant.

 

Mark

[cheffy]

Let me give you a professional slant on cooking wine.

Cooking wine you buy thatis labeled"cooking wine"

has salt and other ingredients added to make it undrinkable by itself. This started in the old days when most Chefs needed to go to AA meetings after their 16 hr days.

If you are cooking with "real" wine the alcohol will burn off but it neds to be added early in the cooking process and brought to a boil for several minutes and essentailly reduced to a half it's volumn.

A way to get around this whole situation is to use one of the alcohol free wines. Same taste no problems.

In some recipes the wine is not a big deal and could be left out but in things like Coq au Vin you kind of need it.

[Fat Old Guy]

"A way to get around this whole situation is to use one of the alcohol free wines"

 

Why not just use Welch's Grape Juice? :-)

[silver-shark]

I had never heard of alcohol-free cooking sherry, although like everything else, I'm sure it exists somewhere. My recollection was that it was just inferior sherry with salt added, so I did a search for "Cooking sherry" and this is the first thing that came up.

 

From cellarnotes.net:

 

"Cooking Sherry

 

Cooking Sherry is just low grade sherry that has salt added to make it undrinkable and useful solely for cooking. You are better off getting a regular bottle of sherry and cooking with it. You have better control of the salt in your dish and you will have a better sherry as well.

 

There are also substitutions you can use in place of Sherry for cooking. A non-alcoholic, sweet white wine would work, as would using a chicken stock instead of Sherry."

 

I also didn't see the words alcohol-free used in Marks original post, so I'm not sure why everyone assumes that it was.

 

[packsaddle]

Only ONE Issues&Politics thread active today and it's about...cooking sherry. I think the world is doing just fine. And it is good to know that here we are at peace on this eve.

 

Actually alcohol has a much lower boiling point than water so if you really cook something, chances are there's practically none left. Also, just to add to this raging controversy, ever notice what the solvent is for many flavorings and extracts? Yep!

Want non-alcoholic wine for cooking? Boil the wine for about 5 minutes in a wide frying pan. That should just about do it. Sure some trace will still be there but making yeast bread leaves a trace as well...oh well.

'What's that in that bread, it's gone to my head...'

[NJCubScouter]

Packsaddle says:

 

Only ONE Issues&Politics thread active today and it's about...cooking sherry. I think the world is doing just fine. And it is good to know that here we are at peace on this eve.

 

Ironically, however, on the Open Discussion board, Rooster and I seem to be debating about the role of prayer in the Scouting program. At least, we were a few hours ago, I am going back to check there now...

[cheffy]

FOG

Next time why not use grape juice?

 

Next time you want a steak whay not have a burger?

Next time you want a dog why not get a cat?

 

There is a difference between wine and grape juice.

Sure they are both made from grapes but thats where the simularities end.

If you are going to use Welchs you are better off leaving it out.

The next thing you will want to make duck a la orange with Tang.

[Fat Old Guy]

Touchy, aren't we, Cheffy. So much for putting a smiley in my posting.

[packsaddle]

FOG, I think I understand his outrage...it's almost as if you have spoken blasphemy.

'Make that chopped liver, Prometheus!'

[dsteele]

I have great respect for chefs. They have to go through a lot of education and have more knowledge of culinary subtleties than most of us will have in a lifetime of eating.

 

I don't think Fat Old Guy meant to offend Cheffy (not if he included a smiley face,) but there is a difference between a steak and a hamburger, etc.

 

There is a difference between marinading with wine and using grape juice. I think one does well to take advantage of free advice from a professional in any field . . . including mine .

 

However, I think that if a recipe calls for alchohol it is best left at home and not brought on a Scout camp out. I agree that most of the alchohol cooks out, but why have the bottle there when there are so many foods acceptable to Scouts that do not call for it?

 

I like Cherries Jubilee, but I can have those at home and sip the brandy while I'm at it. Scouts can have them at a restaurant, but don't expect to bring a bottle of brandy on a camp out and not get criticism from someone.

 

As to the cooking sherry thing, well, why bother with the arguments when there are so many other foods that are good to eat and good to cook from scratch that don't involve any controversy whatsoever?

 

Like beans in the hole or chicken in a backpack?

 

BTW -- would whoever I promised to send the old Fieldbook to please re-private message me with their address? I haven't forgotten the promise or request, but have lost the name and address.

 

Thanks.

 

DS

[Fat Old Guy]

Cheffy would probably consider me a barbarian. I like nothing more than a big hamburger smothered in onions and mushrooms unless it is a giant slab of charred animal flesh accompanied by a monsterous baked Idaho spud smothered in butter.

 

I don't see the point is paying $50 for a small piece of chicken in some green sauce and four artfully laid out green beans with two carrot slices.

[evmori]

Fat Old Guy,

We got a samich here in da Burgh called a Primanti Brothers Samich. It's a cheese steak with fries, cole slaw & tomato all together on Itralian bread. Excellent eatin'. You'd love it! Cheffy would barf!

 

Ed Mori

Scoutmaster

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[Rooster7]

Ed,

 

If I'm ever in Pittsburgh, I'm looking you up and I'm expecting you to treat me to a Primanti Brothers Samich. ;-) It's sound like my kind of food. Unfortunately, it doesn't sound like the kind of sandwich that's good for your heart. But, just to stir the pot, and since I'm being health conscience, what do you say if we wash it down with an ice-cold beer? They say, a little alcohol each day is good for you.

 

FOG,

 

I had to laugh when I read your description of a gourmet meal at an upscale restaurant. If money was no object, I could appreciate those kinds of meals more. Those fancy sauces taste great, but for $50, I can put down a lot of cheese steak.