Everything Alcohol – the Entire Holiday Meal

SPIRÎTED MENU WHY DO CHEFS COOK WITH ALCOHOL, ANYWAY? FAR Many common cooking extracts, such as vanilla, are actually The main reason is flavor, as fermentation intensifies and concentrates the taste of its base ingredient, infusing the dish with its essence. alcohol-based themselves. It chemically reacts with certain foods to Can leaven breads and baked goods For dramatic presentations, such as flambés Works to tenderize release natural flavors some meats OF COURSE, YOU CAN ALWAYS JUST DRINK IT As you probably already know, pairing food with the right alcoholic drink is a complete art form in and of itself. When figuring out what drink to serve with what food, consider these ideas: Do you want to complement or contrast the flavor Acidity in a drink can Carbonation can offset rich foods. clean the palate. of your dish? APPETIZERS For your starting course, it's hard to beat a classic wine and cheese pairing. Obviously you will not be cooking with this wine ... or cooking at all. Shop for your favorite cheeses and follow these simple starting guidelines: Soft, pungent cheeses with white wines. Hard, milder cheeses with red wines. Once you have those basics down, experiment with specific favorites. Sweeter white wines Champagne is a good pairing for stronger cheeses, too. are more versatile SWEET than dry ones. ENTREE Just about any meat can be prepared with alcohol using methods ranging from marinating to glazing. Also consider: Wine is far and away the Amaretto most popular choice for cooking, but you can Beer even get quite creative (as in this rum-and-Coke ham recipe). Bourbon Champagne Tequila SIDES Don't leave out the veggies; they could use a dose of "sauce" as well! An easy and delicious method: Try this recipe for whiskey-glazed carrots as a starting point! alcohol-based glazes. DESSERT Ah yes, how sweet it is – the use of alcohol in a delightful dessert. The classic standard is cherries jubilee, which lights up the party with a brandy-based flambé show. But you can incorporate it into other treats as well. Bourbon works well with rich caramel dishes. Add champagne Kick up lemon or wine to fruit compote. desserts with limoncello. Sweet potions work well in this de- Jazz up choco- late with coffee, partment, as you probably can guess. orange or Kahlua "liqueurs". Hopefully there is enough room left for a digestif. Enjoy! Source: http://www.forrent.com/blog/recipes/everything-alcohol-meal/ ForRent.com Homes.com