Barbara, Some Answers To Your Questions.

Good Morning Barbara,

You made me chuckle this morning because of your curiousity. I am simply your average looking elf!!

About the red wines, I usually use what is in my fridge, right now our favorite red wine is Merlot. I do not go to the trouble of opening up a bottle to cook. If it is in the fridge that is what I use. Red table wine and red chianti are other favorites.

As for white wine, I tend to use Vino Seco, a white dry cooking wine. I find it in the Spanish cooking section of my grocer. I usually buy it when I see it at $1.30 or so. Sometimes I use chardonnay or chablis, again, if it is in my fridge. My DH does not like it when I use wines in my cooking. He claims he can taste it. Nevertheless, I use them! I think they give an added flavor to the particular dish especially robust beef stews, roasts, and chicken dishes.

I use red wines for beef and white wines for chicken or turkey dishes. When you cook with it, the alcohol contents evaporate leaving only the essence and slight sweetness of the varietal grapes used in that particular wine. I also tend to use only half cup of the wine.

Barbara, also remember to pour yourself about half a glass of wine when you cook as it fortifies the cook!!

Happy Cooking!! Gina