Do you cook with alcohol?
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Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 309
Definitely not. I also don't have mouthwash with alcohol in! It might seem a bit extreme but 5 years ago I did drink mouthwash a few times and I have no desire to go back down that road.
I have heard that if you cook with alcohol, the alcohol "burns off" but I have no idea if that's true and don't want to test it!
I have heard that if you cook with alcohol, the alcohol "burns off" but I have no idea if that's true and don't want to test it!
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Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 5,229
wow dee thats an interesting chart!!
after sobering up my wife cooked a dish once that had white wine in it. I used to love this dish when i drank. I took one bite i was so disgusted i refused to eat it. That has had me question if i've lost my taste for the stuff. The other night at a party there was a rum cake. I never liked rum cake anyhow but the AV did start chatting in my ear lol. I didnt bother with it tho.
after sobering up my wife cooked a dish once that had white wine in it. I used to love this dish when i drank. I took one bite i was so disgusted i refused to eat it. That has had me question if i've lost my taste for the stuff. The other night at a party there was a rum cake. I never liked rum cake anyhow but the AV did start chatting in my ear lol. I didnt bother with it tho.
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Join Date: Nov 2014
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Why on earth would a recovering alcoholic who has put so much time and energy into their recovery eat food that contains alcohol? I don't know about you but I could detect the tiniest tiniest drop of alcohol in almost anything and I just don't need that agro.
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Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 309
Originally Posted by Dee74 
no I don't. I don't miss it either.
burn off rates
burn off rates
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: Wisconsin, USA
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This comes up here a lot, Dee's chart certainly tells the story that cooking does not completely burn off the alcohol.
There are also lots of alternatives to cooking with alchohol...wine can be replaced with vinegars, fruit juices, etc. Stock can take the place of other alcohol.
There are certainly those who can argue that even with not all the alcohol being cooked off, it's a very, very small amount left. And they are correct - but one needs to ask themselves what their true motivation is. Do you really think keeping a bottle of wine or liquor around your house is a good idea for the rare occasions you might cook with it?
There are also lots of alternatives to cooking with alchohol...wine can be replaced with vinegars, fruit juices, etc. Stock can take the place of other alcohol.
There are certainly those who can argue that even with not all the alcohol being cooked off, it's a very, very small amount left. And they are correct - but one needs to ask themselves what their true motivation is. Do you really think keeping a bottle of wine or liquor around your house is a good idea for the rare occasions you might cook with it?
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Toronto Canada
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Yes, I do. A cup of wine, simmered for an hour or so, is already down to two ounces worth according to D's chart. And the meal serves six? Now we are down to a teaspoon of wine throughout my entire meal. Not something I would concern myself about. Speaking for myself, if that shook my commitment to remaining sober no matter what, I think I would have some serious work to do.
Fortunately this is something we each get to decide for ourselves. Because mushroom risotto and braised short ribs.
Fortunately this is something we each get to decide for ourselves. Because mushroom risotto and braised short ribs.
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Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 1,183
Nope. For normal people, it's a tiny amount of alcohol that they probably don't even notice, but for former addicts especially in early recovery, it can light up your brain like a christmas tree.
I remember one time, about 60 days in, when I went to a dinner with oyster appetizers. The sauce that came with them apparently had alcohol in it, and I stuck the tip of a fork into the sauce to taste it. Just the tip of a fork, a miniscule amount of sauce, but wow.... I was washed with an incredibly intense craving, all I could think about for a few seconds was chucking sobriety and ordering a drink, it was frightening and I had to get up and leave the room for a bit to reset myself and calm down.
I don't react like that anymore, but there's no alcohol in my house ever, and I won't knowingly order food at a restaurant if I know it's made with alcohol. No alcohol in my mouthwash, either.
I remember one time, about 60 days in, when I went to a dinner with oyster appetizers. The sauce that came with them apparently had alcohol in it, and I stuck the tip of a fork into the sauce to taste it. Just the tip of a fork, a miniscule amount of sauce, but wow.... I was washed with an incredibly intense craving, all I could think about for a few seconds was chucking sobriety and ordering a drink, it was frightening and I had to get up and leave the room for a bit to reset myself and calm down.
I don't react like that anymore, but there's no alcohol in my house ever, and I won't knowingly order food at a restaurant if I know it's made with alcohol. No alcohol in my mouthwash, either.
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Join Date: May 2013
Location: east coast
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I don't cook with it but I use real extract when baking. The imitation stuff tastes terrible and I figure one teaspoon in three dozen cookies isn't much. Where I live you can buy cooking wines in the supermarket that contain half the alcohol of regular wine. It's a personal choice.
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Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Pacific Coast
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Never even thought about it until one time I was eating a very nice Chicken Marsala by myself in a restaurant, browsing on my iPad for company, and happened upon a thread on SR on this very topic!
Whatever amount of wine that was in the Chicken Marsala had no detectable effect on me. I've also eaten desserts with a small amount of booze in the whipped cream, etc., and experienced no ill effects.
I'm not much of a chef, but if I were cooking something that called for alcohol in quantity, I'd probably use a substitute. Extracts wouldn't disturb me, but buying a full bottle of wine or booze, using a 1/2 cup, and then keeping the rest around would.
As has been pointed out on these sorts of threads before, alcohol occurs naturally in all kinds of foods, especially fruit. It's nearly impossible to totally eradicate every alcohol molecule from your diet.
I see the amount of vigilance and zero-tolerance approach necessary to avoid risking one's sobriety as being entirely a personal matter. I happen to do fine with a somewhat relaxed approach, but the same may not be true for others.
To thine own self be true.
Whatever amount of wine that was in the Chicken Marsala had no detectable effect on me. I've also eaten desserts with a small amount of booze in the whipped cream, etc., and experienced no ill effects.
I'm not much of a chef, but if I were cooking something that called for alcohol in quantity, I'd probably use a substitute. Extracts wouldn't disturb me, but buying a full bottle of wine or booze, using a 1/2 cup, and then keeping the rest around would.
As has been pointed out on these sorts of threads before, alcohol occurs naturally in all kinds of foods, especially fruit. It's nearly impossible to totally eradicate every alcohol molecule from your diet.
I see the amount of vigilance and zero-tolerance approach necessary to avoid risking one's sobriety as being entirely a personal matter. I happen to do fine with a somewhat relaxed approach, but the same may not be true for others.
To thine own self be true.
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Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Wisconsin
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Originally Posted by esinger
I don't cook much but I'm not in the paranoid one hidden drop is going to rekindle my "disease" crowd. Just me but not going to waste my time worrying about it.
You can disagree, but I find your attitude about this insulting.
Perhaps you never had the kind of mind crushing cravings and withdrawals that some of us did, but it is certainly worth considering.
I DONT KNOW how much alcohol will get me craving. This is a cellular issue, not some mental condition.
I know its somewhere between zero and one shot of alcohol. Its enough for me to not to eat tira misu, however.
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Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 309
Originally Posted by Andante
Never even thought about it until one time I was eating a very nice Chicken Marsala by myself in a restaurant, browsing on my iPad for company, and happened upon a thread on SR on this very topic! Whatever amount of wine that was in the Chicken Marsala had no detectable effect on me. I've also eaten desserts with a small amount of booze in the whipped cream, etc., and experienced no ill effects. I'm not much of a chef, but if I were cooking something that called for alcohol in quantity, I'd probably use a substitute. Extracts wouldn't disturb me, but buying a full bottle of wine or booze, using a 1/2 cup, and then keeping the rest around would. As has been pointed out on these sorts of threads before, alcohol occurs naturally in all kinds of foods, especially fruit. It's nearly impossible to totally eradicate every alcohol molecule from your diet. I see the amount of vigilance and zero-tolerance approach necessary to avoid risking one's sobriety as being entirely a personal matter. I happen to do fine with a somewhat relaxed approach, but the same may not be true for others. To thine own self be true.
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Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 1,518
Wow , We were discussing this just the other day as I make a wicked steak and ale pie . I will omit the ale now .
So what do the posters in this thread say on chocolate lacquers you know those ones with the runny cherry/brandy/whiskey etc in the middle which I love at Christmas . I don't see those triggering a binge but for some they just might .
Nice one Dee
So what do the posters in this thread say on chocolate lacquers you know those ones with the runny cherry/brandy/whiskey etc in the middle which I love at Christmas . I don't see those triggering a binge but for some they just might .
Nice one Dee
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Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Pacific Coast
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Originally Posted by DoubleBarrel
Look up kindling. I don't think its paranoid to consider that a small amount of alcohol might trigger cravings.
You can disagree, but I find your attitude about this insulting.
Perhaps you never had the kind of mind crushing cravings and withdrawals that some of us did, but it is certainly worth considering.
I DONT KNOW how much alcohol will get me craving. This is a cellular issue, not some mental condition.
I know its somewhere between zero and one shot of alcohol. Its enough for me to not to eat tira misu, however.
You can disagree, but I find your attitude about this insulting.
Perhaps you never had the kind of mind crushing cravings and withdrawals that some of us did, but it is certainly worth considering.
I DONT KNOW how much alcohol will get me craving. This is a cellular issue, not some mental condition.
I know its somewhere between zero and one shot of alcohol. Its enough for me to not to eat tira misu, however.
Oh, and as far as I know, the term "kindling" as applied to alcoholism usually refers to serial detoxes resulting in rapid development of withdrawal symptoms and susceptibility to DTs, seizure, and other withdrawal complications. I was unaware of any relation to cravings.
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The bottom line on this subject is that it's highly debatable ( as witnessed by some of the responses here and past threads ) and a personal decision. Let's please keep our comments civil and respect others opinions.
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