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Bob Lipinski

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Pixabay photo

By Bob Lipinski

Bob Lipinski

Sake is NOT a rice wine. It is brewed like beer and not distilled nor fermented like wine. A symbolic interpretation of the word sake (sah-kay) means “the essence of the spirit of rice.” Sake is made in many countries including the United States, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Korea, Norway, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Japan. There are about 1,400 sake breweries (kura or sakagura) in Japan today.

The history of sake extends back several centuries. Although the precise origins are a matter of debate, the earliest known reference to sake in Japan is found in a third-century Chinese document. However, it was approximately 1,000 years ago that sake, as it is recognized today, began to be produced.

Sake is produced using four ingredients: rice, water, yeast, and koji (an enzyme that converts starch in the rice to sugar). There are more than 120,000 types of rice grown globally, with 100 varieties specifically cultivated for sake production. Sake rice contains more starch, and less fat and protein compared to regular rice.

It is typically aged for six months to enhance its flavor. Before bottling, sake is diluted with water to reduce the alcohol content to 16 percent, slightly higher than that of wine. Most sake is pasteurized twice and contains no preservatives or sulfites. With one-third the acidity of wine, sake offers a smooth taste.

The most common types of sake are Junmai, Ginjo, Daiginjo, Honjozo, Nama, Nigori, and Tokubetsu.

Store sake in a cool, dark place away from strong light. Refrigeration is only necessary for unpasteurized sake, though colder temperatures slow aging. Unlike wine, sake does not improve with age and should be refrigerated and consumed within six weeks once opened. It’s best to drink sake soon after purchase for maximum freshness.

It can be served warm, chilled, or on-the-rocks with lemon. Sake can replace vodka, gin, rum, and tequila in drinks or be used in cooking like white wine. It is also a great substitute for dry vermouth in a martini, called a “saketini” or “sakini.”

Sake’s color can vary from clear and pale straw to gold and amber. Its aroma and taste are typically fragrant, fruity, herbal, vegetal, earthy, and slightly bitter with rice undertones. Brown, amber hues, or cloudiness suggest oxidation due to age or prolonged exposure.

When purchasing sake or enjoying it at a restaurant, it is advisable to request “Ginjo” or “Daiginjo” sake. “Ginjo” refers to premium sake, while “Daiginjo” signifies ultra-premium sake.

*In next month’s column, Bob will discuss how to pair different types of sake with food.

Bob Lipinski is the author of 10 books, including “101: Everything You Need To Know About Whiskey” and “Italian Wine & Cheese Made Simple” (available on Amazon.com). He consults and conducts training seminars on Wine, Spirits, and Food and is available for speaking engagements. He can be reached at www.boblipinski.com OR [email protected].

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Pixabay photo

 By Bob Lipinski

Bob Lipinski

Fish stews, soups, and chowders are a popular and integral part of the cuisine in many coastal regions worldwide. These flavorful and substantial dishes have been enjoyed for centuries, featuring a diverse selection of seafood as the primary ingredient. Common additions include potatoes, tomatoes, various vegetables, onions, and other complementary components.

The main distinctions between fish soup and fish stew are liquid content and regional naming. Fish soup generally has a thin, brothy base that is lightly colored. Fish stew is a thicker, heartier dish with larger chunks of fish and less liquid than soup. Some examples of stew are bouillabaisse, brodetto, Cacciucco, Caldeirada, Cioppino, Ciuppin, waterzooi, zarzuela, and Zuppa di Pesce.

The word “chowder” originally referred to a large cooking pot or “chaudière” (cauldron) in French. Fish chowder traditionally has a thicker, richer consistency and includes larger pieces of fish, potatoes, vegetables, and salt pork.

Manhattan clam chowder is a brothy, tomato-based soup featuring clams, potatoes, and various vegetables. Manhattan chowder gets its name from a cookbook, “Soups and Sauces” by Virginia Elliott and Robert Jones (1934), although tomato-based clam chowder recipes existed before. The soup has little to do with New York City’s most popular borough and no one knows for sure why or when the name was given.

New England clam chowder is known for its hearty, creamy base, made with milk or cream, and often thickened with potatoes and a roux, introduced in New England by French, Nova Scotian, or British settlers in the 1700s.

Other states making their version of clam chowder include Connecticut, Florida, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Rhode Island.

Some wines that pair well with these offerings are: 

Lamberti Prosecco “Extra Dry,” DOC, Veneto, Italy. Aromatic and fruity with hints of chamomile, pears, and ginger; flavors of apples, citrus and melon. Pair with bouillabaisse and New England Clam Chowder.

2023 Bolla Soave “Classico,” DOC, Veneto, Italy. Apple, pear, and honeysuckle aromas with flavors of peach, and melon, with a slightly bitter-almond aftertaste. Pair with brodetto and Cioppino.

2023 Bread & Butter Chardonnay, California. Aroma of tropical fruit and buttered toast with hints of vanilla, oak, almonds, and pears. Pair with Cioppino and New England Clam Chowder.

2023 Bread & Butter Pinot Noir, California. Did anyone say spicy cherry, red currant, and raspberry! Notes of tea, bay leaf, cinnamon, and plums. Pair with bouillabaisse and Manhattan Clam Chowder.

2023 Bread & Butter Cabernet Sauvignon, California. Bouquet of black currant, raspberry, and oak with hints of chocolate-cherry, and spices. Pair with Cacciucco and Cioppino.

Bob Lipinski is the author of 10 books, including “101: Everything You Need To Know About Whiskey” and “Italian Wine & Cheese Made Simple” (available on Amazon.com). He consults and conducts training seminars on Wine, Spirits, and Food and is available for speaking engagements. He can be reached at www.boblipinski.com OR [email protected].

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Pixabay photo

By Bob Lipinski

I’m one of those individuals that doesn’t wait until hot weather to light the barbecue grill. I enjoy grilling most anytime, including during snowstorms and frigid temperatures. However, I draw the line when outside is experiencing heavy torrential downpours.

Like most grill enthusiasts, my menu includes steaks, chops, burgers, hot dogs, ribs, sausage, chicken, pork, shrimp, seafood (especially tuna steaks), potatoes, and so on. I also love to grill most vegetables, including corn, portabello mushrooms, broccoli rabe, radicchio, eggplant, Romaine lettuce, cabbage, green beans, tomatoes, artichokes, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, onions, carrots, and peppers of any type, especially hot chilis. I’ve even grilled kielbasa, mortadella, gnocchi, pineapple, peaches, octopus, clams, and oysters.

While grilling, I enjoy a glass of chilled white or rosé wine. One of my go-to whites is the 2022 Ruffino “Lumina” Pinot Grigio “delle Venezie” DOC, Italy. It’s clean, crisp, easy-to-drink with sliced apple, tangerine, and pear flavors. Dry, with hints of bitter almond, dried flowers, and citrus. I enjoy noshing on some grilled radicchio while sipping this wine.

 Here are some others I recommend:

2022 Mezzacorona “Dinotte,” Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT, Red Blend, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy. (Briefly aged in French oak barrels) Blend of Teroldego, Marzemino, and Merlot grapes. Purple-red with considerable spicy fruit; red currant, cranberry, blueberries, and chocolate-cherry. Dry, with notes of vanilla, spices, and plum. Pair with grilled eggplant brushed with garlic-olive oil.

2023 Bolla Chianti DOCG Tuscany, Italy. Bright ruby with notes of raspberry, spicy morello cherry, chestnuts, violets, and sage. Dry, medium body with flavors of blackberry jam, plum, fennel, and bitter almond. I serve it with grilled teriyaki marinated tuna steaks.

2020 Fiamme Montepulciano d’Abruzzo “Riserva,” DOC, Abruzzo, Italy. Deeply colored with a bouquet and flavor of dark fruit… plums, black cherry, and black currants. Notes of dried herbs, vanilla, tobacco, chocolate, and anise. A plate of grilled spicy Italian sausages with fennel says it all.

2017 Bolla Amarone della Valpolicella “Classico,” DOCG, Veneto, Italy. Full flavors of dried cherries, dark chocolate, figs, black plum, and bitter almonds. Notes of anise, espresso, rosemary, cinnamon, and wild berries. Almost port-like, with sensations of rich spicy fruit. Pair it with a ribeye steak cooked medium rare with smoky mushrooms.

2023 Tre Monti, Vigna Rocca “Albana Secco,” DOCG, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. (Made with 100% organic Albana di Romagna grapes). Light golden with a lively bouquet and taste of apricot, melon, yellow plum, and bitter almonds. Hints of orange rind, honeysuckle, and dried flowers. I pair this with grilled pineapple and peaches.

Bob Lipinski is the author of 10 books, including “101: Everything You Need To Know About Whiskey” and “Italian Wine & Cheese Made Simple” (available on Amazon.com). He consults and conducts training seminars on Wine, Spirits, and Food and is available for speaking engagements. He can be reached at www.boblipinski.com OR [email protected]

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Mint Julep. Pixabay photo

By Bob Lipinski

Bob Lipinski

The word julep can be traced back over 600 years and stems from the Arabic julab or Persian jul-ab, meaning “rosewater.” The term has been referenced in English literature as early as 1400, originally referring to “a syrup composed solely of water and sugar.” Prior to the founding of America, mint and sugar were already being combined with distilled spirits. Julep is also spelled julip in parts of the United States.

The mint julep has roots in Virginia. Englishman John Davis described the drink in his 1803 book “Travels of Four Years and a Half in the United States” as “a dram of spirituous liquor that has mint steeped in it, taken by Virginians of a morning.” The true Southern-style mint julep coincided with the discovery of Kentucky bourbon whiskey around the late 1700s. It is speculated that prior to bourbon, rum, brandy and especially peach brandy were used.

The Kentucky Derby Museum in Louisville reports that the mint julep became Churchill Downs’ (named after John and Henry Churchill) signature drink in 1938, the year they began serving it in souvenir glasses for 75 cents. The limited supply glasses became extremely popular and were coveted by collectors until 1974, when retail stores began selling the glasses in honor of the Derby’s 100th anniversary on May 17, 1875. The Kentucky Derby reports there are 120,000 mint juleps sold during the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby each year.

Another name for a small mint julep is a “smash;” a drink made from bourbon whiskey, or other distilled spirits, mixed with sugar and mint, which dates to the 1840s.

Some lovers of the mint julep were Edgar Allan Poe, U.S. Senator Henry Clay from Kentucky, and U.S. Presidents John Tyler and Theodore Roosevelt.

Mint Julip

Mint julep. Pexels photo

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon superfine sugar

3 to 4 sprigs of spearmint

1/2 teaspoon cool water

3 to 4 ounces bourbon whiskey

Crushed ice

Directions:

Place the superfine sugar into a shallow dish and add mint, barely covering this with water. Lightly crush the mint leaves and rub them around the rim of a julep glass and discard. Fill the cup 3/4 full of crushed ice and bourbon. Then add the crushed mint, sugar, and water mixture, and stir. On top of this, place several sprigs of mint dusted with powdered sugar. Wait about 30 seconds and all at once the cup or glass will become encrusted with a layer of white frost. Sip and enjoy.

Bob Lipinski is the author of 10 books, including “101: Everything You Need To Know About Whiskey” and “Italian Wine & Cheese Made Simple” (available on Amazon.com). He consults and conducts training seminars on Wine, Spirits, and Food and is available for speaking engagements. He can be reached at www.boblipinski.com OR [email protected].

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Pixabay photo

By Bob Lipinski

“One tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor.” — Comedian George Carlin, 1937-2008

Bob Lipinski

Tequila is a distilled spirit produced from the juice of the blue agave, a plant native to Mexico. The agave has stiff, blue-tinted leaves and needle-like thorns, resembling cactus. Tequila is produced within the state of Jalisco, where the town of Tequila is located, as well as in the states of Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit, and Tamaulipas.

In 1795, King Carlos IV of Spain granted Jose Maria Guadalupe Cuervo y Montana the first license to produce and distribute tequila in Mexico, then under Spanish rule. In 1873, Don Cenobio Sauza became the first to export tequila to the United States, crossing the border at El Paso del Norte (now Juárez) with three casks and six jugs of mezcal-tequila.

Tequila comes in two main types, based on the agave content used during fermentation: “100% Agave Tequila” and “Mixto Tequila.” Tequila labeled “100 percent Agave” or “100 percent Blue Agave” is made entirely from agave. If the label doesn’t say 100 percent agave, it isn’t. Mixto Tequila consists of at least 51 percent blue agave and other sugars. It is simply labeled “tequila” without indicating it as mixto.

Tequila must be distilled at least twice by law, though some producers opt for a third distillation. It is bottled at a minimum of 80-proof unless flavored.

Tequila can be grouped into four distinctive categories — Blanco (gold or oro, a subgroup, often referred to as mixto), Reposado, Añejo, and Extra Añejo. Cristalino Tequila (crystalline) is an unofficial category (introduced in 2008) of aged tequilas (reposado, añejo, extra-añejo) that are filtered to remove the color (from barrel aging) while retaining the taste and aroma from the barrel.

Blanco (also known as silver tequila), is unaged. It has characteristics such as black pepper, citrus, dill, earthy, green olive, lemongrass, pine, tobacco, and vegetal notes.

Gold (oro) mixto is typically unaged but often treated with caramel coloring or oak extracts to simulate wood aging.

Reposado is aged 2 months to 1 year in wood. It has notes of black pepper, caramel, cinnamon, dried grass, figs, ginger, mint, smoke, tobacco, and vegetal.

Añejo is aged 1 to 3 years in wood. It has characteristics such as baked apple, butterscotch, dark chocolate, clove, ginger, honey, oak, orange, and smoke.

Extra Añejo is aged at least 3 years in wood, comparable to brandy in quality and drinkability.

Blanco and Gold tequilas are ideal for cocktails, while other types are good for sipping, like brandy.

Bob Lipinski is the author of 10 books, including “101: Everything You Need To Know About Whiskey” and “Italian Wine & Cheese Made Simple” (available on Amazon.com). He consults and conducts training seminars on Wine, Spirits, and Food and is available for speaking engagements. He can be reached at www.boblipinski.com OR [email protected].

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Tempura. Pixabay photo

By Bob Lipinski

Bob Lipinski

Tempura, a Japanese specialty, consists of pieces of seafood, vegetables, or occasionally chicken, that are lightly battered, then deep-fried to a golden color. The batter, which must be light and thin, is made of flour (traditionally wheat), eggs, and ice water.

It is believed that Portuguese Jesuits introduced this deep-frying cooking technique to the Japanese in the sixteenth century in Nagasaki. Some believe the word tempura derived from the Latin word tempora, referring to the Christian “fast days” when people couldn’t eat meat.

The deep-fried pieces of seafood or vegetables are then dipped into a sauce using a base of soy sauce with mirin (sweet rice wine) and dashi. It’s also quite common to add grated ginger or grated Japanese daikon radish into the dipping sauce. Tempura should never be greasy or heavy and is often accompanied by a dish of steamed rice, udon, or soba noodles.

Some common foods used in tempura are seafood — shrimp (tail-on), crab, scallops, and squid; and Vegetables — Bell pepper, broccoli, carrots, daikon radish, eggplant, green beans, lotus root, mushrooms, onions, pumpkin, and sweet potato.

Here are four dry white wines that will pair with a dish of hot, deep-fried tempura.

2021 Gebeshuber “Zierfandler,” Ried Modler, Gumpoldskirchen, Thermenregion, Austria. A biodynamic, single-vineyard wine. (Aged 8 months in oak barrels). Full aroma of nuts, lemon-lime, pineapple, and spices. Flavors of coconut, apple, and peach with a smoky aftertaste.

2022 Heidi Schröck & Söhne “Furmint,” Rust, Burgenland, Austria. (Aged in stainless steel and acacia barrels.) Yellow with greenish tones. Bouquet and flavor of anise, yellow apple, honeysuckle, and peach. Hints of grapefruit, chamomile, spices, and tobacco. Very dry with a citrus aftertaste.

2022 Coppo “Monteriolo” Chardonnay DOC, Piedmont, Italy. The winery has been making Chardonnay since 1984. This wine was aged for 9 months in French oak barrels. Bright straw yellow with a fresh bouquet and flavor of apple, pear, lemon, butter, and vanilla with hints of pineapple, chamomile, and toast. Very complex wine with an aftertaste of tangerine. It reminds me of a well-made premier cru Chablis.

2022 Te Mata “Chardonnay,” Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand. (100% Chardonnay). Aged for a short time in oak barrels.) Bright yellow with a medium-full bouquet and flavor of peach, citrus, buttered toast, and tropical fruit. Hints of melon, macadamia nuts, and vanilla, with a touch of salinity. Smooth finish and a long aftertaste of grilled pineapple.

Other wines that pair with tempura are Albariño, Catarratto, and sparkling wines (brut), along with Junmai sake (chilled), and cold beer.

Bob Lipinski is the author of 10 books, including “101: Everything You Need To Know About Whiskey” and “Italian Wine & Cheese Made Simple” (available on Amazon.com). He consults and conducts training seminars on Wine, Spirits, and Food and is available for speaking engagements. He can be reached at www.boblipinski.com OR [email protected].

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Pexels photo

By Bob Lipinski

Bob Lipinski

Yes, I know it’s winter, with bitter cold days and even colder nights, and some parts of the country are probably experiencing snow or ice, which makes things even colder and more miserable.

Now, do people near the equator only drink chilled white wine and those near the poles drink only room temperature red wine? Certainly not to both statements.

Yet, during cold weather, we still drink cold beer, and we serve most of our cocktails cold or very cold, especially a martini, which we drink “arctic cold.” So, what’s wrong with serving a glass of a chilled white or red wine?

Here are some chillable wines for cold weather…

2022 Brigid ‘Pinot Noir,’ Marlborough, New Zealand. (9.5% alcohol; 80 calories per serving) Has a “Nutrition Facts” chart, like on a box of cereal, displayed on the back label. Light ruby with notes of cranberry, dried flowers, citrus, and tart cherry with hints of herbs and wet earth. A flavorful, easy to drink wine. A great accompaniment to cheese fondue.

NV Riunite Lambrusco, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. A perennial favorite since the 1970s. Although I’m not a stranger to this wine, I’ve not had a bottle in many years. It’s frizzante (lightly effervescent) and semi-sweet, with a luscious aroma and flavor of raspberry, rhubarb, and plum, with a bitter almond aftertaste. Try with a dish of salami, mortadella and provolone.

2024 Georges Duboeuf ‘Beaujolais Nouveau,’ France. (Made from Gamay grapes). Bright red colored; intensely fruity with hints of cherry, cotton candy, hibiscus, and red lollipops. Aftertaste of boysenberry, red currants, and spices. Drink with a spicy pepper, grilled cheese sandwich.

2020 Domaine Sérol ‘Oudan’ Côte Roannaise, Loire Valley, France. (100% Gamay grapes.) Oudan is a plot of hillside land on granitic soil, first planted by Stéphane Sérol over 20 years ago. Cherry-colored with a fruity aroma and taste of strawberry, red apple, and herbs. Hints of black pepper, potting soil, and fennel. A Margherita pizza says it all!

2023 Quinta da Lixa, Alvarinho ‘Pouco Comum,’ Vinho Verde, DOC, Portugal. Perfumed, with notes of honeysuckle, white peach, lemon, orange, and pear. Hints of green peas and pineapple. Pairs well with fish tacos.

2023 Quinta d’Amares, ‘Loureiro’ Vinho Verde, DOC, Portugal. Light citrine color; notes of perfume, lemon, bay leaf, and apricot. Nuances of minerals, peach, and melon. A delightful wine for hot and cold weather. Serve with a hearty bowl of fish chowder.

Bob Lipinski is the author of 10 books, including “101: Everything You Need To Know About Whiskey” and “Italian Wine & Cheese Made Simple” (available on Amazon.com). He consults and conducts training seminars on Wine, Spirits, and Food and is available for speaking engagements. He can be reached at www.boblipinski.com OR [email protected].

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Cappuccino. Pixabay photo

By Bob Lipinski

Bob Lipinski

Italians have been sipping little cups of strong coffee for over 400 years, but the coffee we know as espresso — a thick, dark liquid with a foamy, creamy head, or crema dates from 1903. This is when machines (perfected simultaneously in Milan and Turin, Italy) made the rapid method of extraction possible.

The word espresso comes from the Italian for “fast,” since espresso results when pressure forces hot water through coffee grounds. Coffee was first brought to Italy in 1615 by Pietro della Valle. 

In 1938, a Milanese coffee-bar owner named Achille Gaggia added a hand-operated piston pump to the elaborate steam-powered espresso machines, then in use. Gaggia’s invention increased the extraction pressure and added body and complexity to an otherwise thin brew. Later refinements replaced the piston with an electric pump.

It is interesting to note that Italy is the world capital of espresso, yet not a single coffee bean grows there. Italy imports coffee beans for roasting and blending, from Africa, Central and South America.

Espresso has an intense black color, with a concentrated, strong coffee aroma, and a thick, long-lasting crema (pale chestnut, creamy froth head, which should hold sugar on its surface for a few seconds before penetrating the coffee). It has well-balanced flavors and good body, with a thick “mouthfeel,” and a pleasing, bitter aftertaste.

Espresso. Pixabay photo

Although popular in the United States, serving a twist of lemon peel with espresso is not customary in Italy.

The most popular types of espresso or “caffè” are:

Doppio (double): Two shots of espresso served in a single cup.

Lungo (long): A weaker espresso, made by adding water.

Latte: A milky espresso typically consumed in the morning.

Macchiato: A shot of espresso spotted or marked with a scoop of foamed milk on top.

Ristretto: A thicker (restricted) more concentrated version of espresso; made by using less water.

Corretto: A ristretto espresso that is corrected (volume) by adding grappa or other types of distilled spirits, liqueurs or bitters.

Cappuccino is an espresso coffee served with a creamy head made from steamed milk and foam. Cocoa or powdered chocolate is often sprinkled on top. In Italy, cappuccino is a morning drink enjoyed before or with breakfast, and not consumed after 11 a.m.

The history of cappuccino is shrouded in legend. According to one account, the name cappuccino originated as a tribute to Father Marco d’Aviano, a seventeenth-century Capuchin monk. Monks covered their heads with the pointed brown hoods of their cloaks, known as a cappuccio in Italian, which is similar in color to coffee with milk.

Bob Lipinski is the author of 10 books, including “101: Everything You Need To Know About Whiskey” and “Italian Wine & Cheese Made Simple” (available on Amazon.com). He consults and conducts training seminars on Wine, Spirits, and Food and is available for speaking engagements. He can be reached at www.boblipinski.com OR [email protected].

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Pixabay photo

By Bob Lipinski

Bob Lipinski

During the holiday season, I usually have a list of wines that I prefer to drink, but this year, I have discovered some new ones that I will definitely include. Sales (and consumption) of red wine (as well as champagne and fortified wines) rise during wintry weather, and I stock up for the holidays with plenty. Although I enjoy medium to full-bodied red wines, I rarely say no to a glass or bottle of a chilled red wine, served as an apéritif or to accompany a first course.

These wines are sure to enhance your holiday festivities. The first two wines, light-bodied, young, and fruity, are best enjoyed chilled, with or without food.

2022 Te Mata “Gamay Noir,” Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand. (100% Gamay grapes. The winery brought the Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc, the technical name of Gamay, to New Zealand in 1995.) Candy-apple red color, with an inviting, very fruity aroma and flavor of raspberry, black cherry, rhubarb, watermelon, and tart cranberry. Hints of strawberry, anise, blueberry pie, clove, and fennel. Perfect for pork satay with spicy peanut sauce.

2023 Souleil Vin de Bronté, “Le Rouge,” Languedoc, France. Blend of organically farmed Syrah and Grenache grapes. Fermented and aged in stainless steel containers. Bright cherry color with fruity flavors of raspberry, cherry, and green plums. Easy to drink with hints of wild strawberry, thyme, and leather. Serve it lightly chilled with honey-glazed ham.

2021 Château Angélus “Tempo d’Angélus,” Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France. Blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc grapes. Light ruby color with flavors of blackberry, black plums, and tea with hints of wet cedar, black currants, and toasted hazelnuts. Light-bodied; pairs well with grilled lamb brushed with mint and olive oil.

2019 Cos d’Estournel “G d’Estournel,” Saint-Estèphe, France. Blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc grapes. Deeply colored with flavors of anise, blueberry, blackberry, and mint, with hints of thyme, rosemary, fig, black pepper, and spices. Pair it with braised short ribs and a side of roasted sweet potatoes.

2001 Gérard Bertrand “Château de l’Hospitalet” La Clape, Languedoc, France. Blend of Syrah, Grenache, Carignan, Cinsaut, and Mourvèdre grapes. Located on the coast, Château de l’Hospitalet overlooks the Mediterranean in an area noted for its garrigue scrublands (Mediterranean vegetation with a smell of rosemary, thyme, lavender and other herbs). Intense ruby color with flavors of blackberry, black cherry, plums, and spices with hints of currants, rosemary, smoky oak, and black pepper. I enjoyed this wine with grilled hot sausage and broccoli rabe.

Bob Lipinski is the author of 10 books, including “101: Everything You Need To Know About Whiskey” and “Italian Wine & Cheese Made Simple” (available on Amazon.com). He consults and conducts training seminars on Wine, Spirits, and Food and is available for speaking engagements. He can be reached at www.boblipinski.com OR [email protected]

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Pexels photo

By Bob Lipinski

Bob Lipinski

Anyone who enjoys cooking and creating gourmet dinners or just tinkering around the stove can transform dishes into Epicurean triumphs with wine. Chefs the world over know the value of wine and have been cooking with it daily, transforming the blandest of dishes into tasty treats. By replacing some of the liquid in the recipe with wine, you add another dimension of flavor. After all, wine is about 85 percent water, anyway.

It is not an exaggeration to say that wine will improve almost any dish; and there is nothing mysterious or complicated about using wine in cooking. Most people are reluctant to cook with wine because they don’t know which wines to use, or how to use them. Use a dry white or red wine for cooking, unless otherwise instructed by the recipe.

Cooking with wine won’t get you intoxicated (unless you’re sneaking sips from the open bottle), since heat causes the alcohol to evaporate. Alcohol vaporizes at a lower temperature than water, about 173° F.

To be certain the alcohol has evaporated, reduce the liquid to at least half. You can also pre-reduce the wine in a separate pan. Then you are not fighting time and temperature. This pre-reduced wine can be put in ice cube trays and frozen for future use.

Do not cook with wines that are spoiled. If you wouldn’t drink the wine by itself, then discard it. Using an inferior or spoiled wine risks ruining your ingredients and you make good food taste bad; the “off” flavors are transferred to the dish. Avoid using wines labeled “cooking wines,” because they are of a lower quality and usually contain added salt and potassium.

Pexels photo

There is no need to use an expensive wine for cooking. Inexpensive wines, including “wines in boxes” or “jug wines,” provide the same aroma and balance of flavors as do expensive wines. Wine is only one component in a dish and when it’s cooked, it marries with the other flavors in the food.

Finally, there is only one important objective to be realized, and that is to make a good dish taste even better. That’s what cooking with wine is all about. Experiment! Wine, not expensive to use, adds to your food’s taste, and makes for great table conversation.

Wine creates a relaxed and gracious atmosphere at the table and sets the scene for greater enjoyment of food, no matter how simple the menu may be. And remember to save a glass of wine for yourself to enjoy.

Bob Lipinski is the author of 10 books, including “101: Everything You Need To Know About Whiskey” and “Italian Wine & Cheese Made Simple” (available on Amazon.com). He consults and conducts training seminars on Wine, Spirits, and Food and is available for speaking engagements. He can be reached at www.boblipinski.com OR [email protected].

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