Twoworlds12345

im feeling a bit silly. i went out for lunch with my friends yesterday and ordered bangers and mash. However i didn't realise until it arrived that it was red wine and onion gravy.

I refused to eat it and swapped dinners with one of my friends

Am i taking soberiety so far that i refused to eat food that has been cooked with alcohol (or could have been).

Is anyone else like this or am i overreacting?

Thanks

Twoworlds

sober4myboys

My uncle was given a candy with rum in it at Christmas and he FLIPPED out on the waitress and caused a huge scene. He has been clean 7 years and will not take ANY chances with his sobriety. So I do not think you are taking it too far, just seriously. Which is good in my opinion.

Louise82

I think it's completely up to you. It's different for each individual. For what it's worth, I wouldn't have eaten it either so I don't think you overreacted. I've read a number of times that even though alcohol is meant to burn off during the cooking process, not all of it burns off, so that's part of the reason why I avoid wine sauces and the like.

fantail

No, you're not overreacting! You set your own parameters for what's OK and what isn't in your sobriety.

For example... I have some vegetarian friends who will not eat anything that has been prepared with the same utensils as meat. I have others who are fine just picking the meat out of a dish. Yes, it's harder to eat out with the first group, but that's just fine with me. I would never accuse them of overreacting.

hypochondriac

I'm like that. I won't eat desserts with it in or cooked foods. The reason being is simple, it triggers me big style. I have accidentally eaten part of a dessert with alcohol in it and a curry that was made with wine and I thought 'uh oh' and stopped eating both. It's not just not worth the risk, but I have gone off the taste of alcohol too. I used to be one of those that poured copious amounts of booze in anything I cooked (I think that's the reason it triggers me) but now I think it spoils the taste of food.

Newatthis34

In that situation I wouldn't have minded eating the food. It's when I begin rationalising buying wine 'for the sauce' I'm cooking (when I know deep down I really want to drink what doesn't go in the food) that I start to worry. My drinking was so excessive that for me a drop or two in something I'm eating, cooked by someone else, is not an issue. But everyone's different. I support what the others said too, it's totally up to you what you wish to imbibe and everyone should respect that!

grandma12

My daughter and her husband to be were cake tasting he wouldn't even try the pink champagne cake. So no not over reacting imo.

ScottFromWI

I would say you aren't overreacting at all, it's your choice to eat what you wish. And your sobrieety is much more important than a potential social faux-pas.

I personally don't have a problem eating food that might have been cooked with and have trace amounts in it, but that's just my prerogative. Honestly just about any baked product that was made with an extract ( vanilla, orange, lemon ) could potentially have a minute trace of alcohol left in it. Some fruit juices can have naturally occuring trace amounts of alcohol as well, even breads can ferment and have trace amounts of alcohol.

But the bottom line is to do what you feel is best for your sobriety - and not worry what others think about it - I think you made the right decision.

Ozgirl

Not overreacting at all. Some sauces, I think called 'jus' made with red wine aren't cooked off at all.

Image101

This is true. The average human digestive system also makes about 3g per day through various chemical reactions throughout the digestive process. It's why humans have an entire pathway dedicated to metabolizing alcohol in the first place (small amounts, of course!)

LadyinBC

I don't eat foods cooked in alcohol, I don't eat candies with alcohol, I don't use mouthwash or medicines that have alcohol. But that is just what I have to do for me.

A friend of mine gave me a good tip when you go to restaurants or pubs. He said that anytime he ordered any kind of drink, he always had his wife taste it first. And a few of them did end up being made with alcohol so his wife would end up drinking it.

AllieB

I've had a Madeira sauce on pork and rum balls in the last month and have not had any cravings as a result (except for more saucy pork and excellent dessert, that is).

But everybody is different and I think you're smart to play it safe if you're concerned about triggers. You can always experiment with foods when you're a little further into your recovery.

Twoworlds12345

thank you guys for reassuring me im not overreacting. thank you all so much

GroundhogDay

I use vermouth in sauces that call for wine. There is no way I would ever drink it straight out of the bottle. If I wanted to drink that much, I'd go to the store and purchase a bottle of wine. But I agree, if I brought wine into the house to cook with, I would be tempted to drink the rest of the bottle right then and there while I was cooking.