Leemzer

Hey everyone,
A coworker of mine brought a cake today flavored with Bailey's. I knew to stay away just because, but she kept protesting that "all the alcohol was burned off." Then another friend who didn't even hear that took a bite and said "Jeez, how much did you put in there...that is so rich and burned just like I took a shot."
Uh.....yeah...

Anyone else ever have to turn down food with alcohol in it? It was pretty weird, but if I had tasted that flavor I would have REAAAALLY felt guilty. I knew not to taste it, but is that going too far??
Lee

Dee74

I'm always careful - I've worked so hard on my recovery...it means a lot to me...

it seems to be to be a bit silly to then be cavalier about what I ingest.

It doesn't all burn off btw
Alcohol Burn-off Chart

D

hypochondriac

I ate part of a pudding not long ago which I'm pretty sure had alcohol in it...I stopped eating it but it made me feel a bit miffed. I don't think that's going too far at all. It's a psychological connection at best and just ingesting alcohol at worst. I shall be avoiding it myself x

freshstart57

There is a wide spectrum from rum soaked trifle to beer can chicken, and I find it amazing that there is difficulty telling them apart and deciding which is ok and which is going to 'trigger a relapse'. If I wanted to drink, I wouldn't be asking for a second helping of the chicken. I would definitely pass on the desert tho. I am also ok on using wine for braising meat - according to D's cautionary chart, something in the oven for a couple of hours is A OK, nothing left at that point. This is good, because my osso bucco is pretty dang tasty.

Rossy

I am so much of a purist I would not eat anything cooked with alcohol.

freshstart57

A quarter teaspoon of vanilla extract in the frosting on that chocolate cake? There is no beer in beer can chicken btw.

Change4good

Growing up, my mom wore an apron at parties that read, "I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I put it in the food."

We are foodies, and I still will pour a splash of burgandy on beef before we cook it. Of course, then I immediately make sure we serve the burgandy after dinner or dump it out. I prepare meals for guests, and talk rather than eat.

I tend to stick to clean foods without sauce right along now. It is not a problem to walk past sweets that have bourbon. I always have ice cream at home if I need it.

Dee74

My position makes sense to me, even if it might make little sense to someone else...

I know my mind and the way it works.

I think everyone has an individual opinion on this.
I'd ask everyone to respect those other opinions

thanks!
D

Db1105

I use a can of chicken broth instead of beer for beer can chicken. I hear root beer works great also. I like to keep things simple and just avoid alcohol in food, except for that teaspoon or two of vanilla extract.

DisplacedGRITS

I actually just got done making and eating leekes sauteed in white cooking wine. There wasn't an alcohol taste at all and since my goal in using the wine was for the flavor and not the alcohol i didn't mind using it. I also know it's not a trigger. On the other hand, i won't use mouthwash with alcohol because the smell is too strong and i've drunk it out od desperation in the past. If something has raw alcohol in it, i won't partake or if the alcohol is too strong a component. Basically, if you wouldn't serve it to a child, i won't eat it. I love cherries jubilee but the last time i had it it tasted very strongly of alcohol. I know i wouldn't be able to enjoy it now. It's a shame but i figure i don't need the trigger or the calories!

IndaMiricale

OMG I love Osso Bucco, and one of my absolute other fav's that I cant live without is Veal Marsla.

For me thankfully I dont worry to much long cooking times are great. But I still indulge in creme brulee and tiramisu. But everyone knows their own mind. Either way there are plenty of awesome things out there with or without alcohol in them for everyone.

ACT10Npack

Food that use alcohol does not trigger me at all. Most of the alcohol is burn out and because it's going into food you will must like not feel any effect. Its all in the mind when someone tells you alcohol was use in the food. You will get q different reaction from eating in if they say no alcohol was use when it was. It also apply to nonalcoholic drinks. Not going to get Drunk on those stuff. I think people think too much on this subject.

mecanix

My aunt popped a vodka soaked tomato into my mouth , as a *supprise* 4 weeks after me quitting , she did'nt know i'd given up ..

It took all my control to not throw up as my emotions were all over the place when i realized what she'd done .
I did'nt let it upset my desire for sobriety , though there were a couple of crazy thoughs run by like , shes done that , you may as well go and buy some wine on the way home and make it a big one now shes blown it ... Oh those crazy thoughts ,
..

i don't mind some rum and rasin ice creams , those that just use "rum" flavouring , but i wouldn't do brandy butter , sherry trifle or christmass pudding (which people soak in brandy) . If food has that alcohol smell coming off it , then it's not for me .

As for mouthwash it's alway the non-alcoholic veriety as it's just one swallow away from drinking , the best way to avoid a moment of madness is to keep it as far away from myself as possible . Having been given the gift of sobriety i guard it jealously .

pinkdog

I can't risk it. Sobriety is too important to me.

pinkdog

My friend had some rumcake. I was worried about it. Unfortunately they did relapse shortly after that. I am afraid any small amount would affect me. So I just avoid it.

ACT10Npack

How do you know it was from the rum cake?

KnowHope

Just speaking for myself, ever since I got clean/sober, since I know I have a mind that can rationalize my way into some pretty warped thinking, I like to think of analogies between substances.

---> Would I eat a cocaine **** cake if I were a recovering cocaine addict?

---> Would I ever eat heroin-raisin flavored ice cream if I were a recovering heroin addict, as long as it doesn't taste too heroin-y?

---> Would ever I gargle with crystal meth based mouthwash if I were a crystal meth addict, because I'll spit most of it back out into the sink?

---> Would I eat "beef with onions and cocaine sauce" if I were a recovering cocaine addict, saying "I think a lot of the cocaine burns off"?

If something in it doesn't look quite right, why would I do any of these things with alcohol when I am an alcoholic, most especially when there are non-alcoholic alternatives for all of them? Even if there weren't, would it still be worth it? It's just my freedom, peace of mind, recovery and life on the line. Just sayin....

ACT10Npack

Your reason make no sense. You add wine when cooking to add flavor. Adding hard drugs in to food does not add flavor, it will just get you high. You don't add weed to brownies to add flavor. You add it to get high! People add vodka to watermelon and freeze it to get drunk. 2 different things of use.

MrsKing

I don't add alcohol to my cooking. Mainly because I'm too worried to have alcohol in the house. My husband has beer in the house, but because I've never been crazy about beer, I don't mind it around. If I was going to add red wine or white wine to my cooking, it would require me going through those same old actions - opening the bottle and pouring, that glugg-glugg sound. NO! I don't want to put myself through that when I've been doing so well. If someone else served me something with those ingredients added then I don't think I would mind... I probably have had something with alcohol in without even realising. It's just having ownership of a bottle of wine that scares the hell out of me!

KnowHope

Thanks dear, it makes perfect sense to me. The alcohol doesn't simply go away because it has a flavor. Drugs have flavors too.

Love,

KnowHope, Professional Chef