Cooking Sherry

By Jennifer A. Wickes

Question:

I have a couple of recipes calling for cooking sherry and they
specifically say "not" to use the cooking sherry which can be purchased
from the grocery store, but rather from a reliable source. Where does
one find cooking sherry besides the grocery store?

Can I use regular sherry? I cook with white wine, not cooking wine, because the taste is superior (and less salty, not to mention the leftover

wine can be enjoyed with dinner. Any ideas would help, thank you in
advance. Have a wonderful day.

Melissa W. from Charlotte, NC

Answer:

If you cannot drink the sherry, I would not cook with it. Like you stated in your question, Cooking Sherry and Cooking Wine have added salt to them. I would use regular sherry.

Thanks.
Jennifer

About The Author: Jennifer A. Wickes is a freelance food writer, recipe developer and cookbook reviewer. She has written several eBooks, and has had numerous articles, reviews and recipes in printed publications, as well as on-line. She is working on her first cookbook. For more information about Jennifer or her work, please visit her home page:
http://home.comcast.net/~culinaryjen/Home.html

Answers:

Cooking Sherry

I've never run into such a recipe, but I would just use a decent plain-old sherry. You are right about "cooking wine" what I've seen anyway is just dirt-cheap wine with salt in it. To me that is an even greater insult to the intelligence of the cook than "self-rising" flour and such. If I want salt or baking powder in a dish, I'll add it.

I use wine (and beer) quite a bit in my cooking and I've found that if they're not fit to drink, they are absolutely not fit to cook with. The only reason I would consider using "cooking wine" of any sort is that you can probably buy it with food stamps. In that case it's better than no wine at all. Just watch the salt. (07/14/2005)

By Warren D. Lockaby

Cooking Sherry

FYI, cooking sherry is probably not on the list of approved foods for food stamps because of the alcohol. I cook quite a bit with wines, and very pale, dry sherry is an excellent substitute for cooking sherry. It is the same thing without the salt, plus it is also suitable for drinking. I always use that or saki in Asian cuisine with delicious results. Good luck. (07/14/2005)

By Carolyn

Cooking Sherry

Cooking wines are exceedingly high in sodium. Avoid them.
You can substitute any sherry for cooking sherry, ounce for ounce. (07/14/2005)

By Holly