Rhubarb

[Stokey Sue Profile]

If I did more desserts I think I'd have a use for a no alcohol rum

But not in general

[Sakkarin Profile]

i'd be interested to see what the alcohol content is in food that has been cooked - I have some "coq au vin" on the hob at the moment that has plenty of wine, but zero alcohol as I flamed it all off.

I guess trifle has full fat sherry, I wonder if that could be pre-flamed to remove the alcohol?

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Flaming doesn’t reduce the alcohol to zero

It just reduces the alcohol % to the point where it can no longer maintain combustion, if you like it’s too wet to burn

Similarly, you can boil off most of the alcohol but some of the alcohol molecules stay trapped in the food.

I’ve seen this done properly by a scientist, and shown in graphs, but I can’t find it on line, I thought it was probably Harold McGee but might be only in his books.

[Sakkarin Profile]

I had a look in "On Food and Cooking", and he says "Experiments have shown that long-simmered stews retain about 5% of the alcohol initially added, briefly cooked dishes from 10% to 50% and flambes as much as 75%."

75%?!? Oh, well it looks impressive anyway...

He doesn't mention trifle, but I guess that's 100%.

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Well there you are!

At least the alcohol hasn’t completely rotted my little grey cells, it was Professor McGee

[Joanbunting Profile]

Talking of trifle Sakkers, my 2 aunts were both avidly tea-total but they both loved a sherry trifle which they considered to be food not the demon drink!

[Badger's Mate Profile]

"Experiments have shown that long-simmered stews retain about 5% of the alcohol initially added, briefly cooked dishes from 10% to 50% and flambes as much as 75%."

We used to have an Indian restaurant in Hertford that considered itself up-market. Most, if not all of the main courses were brought to the table flambéed. At least they would have been had they not employed the world's worst arsonists as waiters. Consequently every curry had rather more than a hint of brandy.

[Sakkarin Profile]

Badgersmate, after a couple of feeble flaming attempts (without my oven I've made a few stovetop "coq au vins" recenty) I cheated and warmed the wine up in the microwave before I flamed it. Worked a treat, flames to the ceiling almost!

And Joan, I thought all aunts considered sherry medicinal...

[Joanbunting Profile]

Not to mention brandy!!