Spirited Cooking: A Beginner’s Guide to Cooking With Alcohol

Spirited Cooking: A Beginner’s Guide to Cooking With Alcohol
Used in moderation, wine and spirits can add depth of flavor to sweet and savory dishes. Zu Kamilov/shutterstock
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I remember sitting at the counter in my grandfather’s linoleum and laminate kitchen, watching him cook. He would invariably reach for the “sauce,” always knowing, as if by instinct, when to add it. A little splash of bourbon this time, a little splash of beer the next, his pan would sizzle as the tidy kitchen took on a new aroma.

Sweet and mysterious, that whiff of enchantment would fill the air. My nose and curiosity would command me to scoot up on my stool for a better peek over the counter. What was this delicious spell that Granddaddy was concocting? And why did the magic always seem to happen when he released that liquid genie from the bottle?

Kimberly Loehr
Kimberly Loehr
Author
Kimberly Loehr is a freelance journalist and former QVC spokesperson for small appliance giant Hamilton Beach Brands. Her work in communications has received dozens of awards from the National Association of Press Women. A fearless cook and mother to a tribe of perpetually hungry sons, her passion for concocting recipes was sparked years ago by trials and tribulations with her Easy Bake Oven.
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