Thread: Bruschetta

Marilyn wrote:
> I am looking at the recipe for "Bruschetta in a Jar" that's in the Ball
> Complete Book of Home Preserving. The recipe calls for dry white wine. I
> don't drink and I don't like to use alcohol in my cooking, other than what's
> in vanilla extract, etc. My question is what can I substitute for the wine
> and have the recipe still okay for preserving? It also calls for white wine
> vinegar. Could I just use the vinegar for both and leave out the wine?
>
Marilyn: When alcoholic beverages are used in cooking the alcohol cooks
out to atmosphere in just a few moments, leaving behind the flavor of
the beverage and no alcohol.

I would suspect that doubling the vinegar would be a bit more sour than
you want. HTH

George Shirley wrote:
> Marilyn wrote:
>> I am looking at the recipe for "Bruschetta in a Jar" that's in the
>> Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving. The recipe calls for dry white
>> wine. I don't drink and I don't like to use alcohol in my cooking,
>> other than what's in vanilla extract, etc. My question is what can I
>> substitute for the wine and have the recipe still okay for
>> preserving? It also calls for white wine vinegar. Could I just use
>> the vinegar for both and leave out the wine?
>>
> Marilyn: When alcoholic beverages are used in cooking the alcohol cooks
> out to atmosphere in just a few moments, leaving behind the flavor of
> the beverage and no alcohol.

Actually, it doesn't. If you cook it a long time, you can get rid of
most of the alcohol. A good rule of thumb (and you know how inaccurate
those can be) is half the alcohol cooks away.

> I would suspect that doubling the vinegar would be a bit more sour than
> you want. HTH


I would probably use cheap "industrial grade" basalmic vinegar. Maybe
for both the wine and the vinegar. HTH

Bob

George Shirley wrote:

> Marilyn: When alcoholic beverages are used in cooking the alcohol cooks
> out to atmosphere in just a few moments, leaving behind the flavor of
> the beverage and no alcohol.

Only if you want to remove the taste of alchohol. People who are alergic,
addicted or taking medicine that reacts to alcohol (including cardiac/
hypertension) or are relgiously opposed to the consumption of alcohol,
do not get enough out that way.

If you just object to the taste, use the wine vinegar. It won't taste exactly
the same, but you may like it anyway.

Geoff.

--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel [email protected] N3OWJ/4X1GM

In article <h8gslf$8ip$[email protected]>, Marilyn
<[email protected]> wrote:

> I am looking at the recipe for "Bruschetta in a Jar" that's in the Ball
> Complete Book of Home Preserving. The recipe calls for dry white wine. I
> don't drink and I don't like to use alcohol in my cooking, other than what's
> in vanilla extract, etc. My question is what can I substitute for the wine
> and have the recipe still okay for preserving? It also calls for white wine
> vinegar. Could I just use the vinegar for both and leave out the wine?

Use white grape juice instead of the wine. Don't double the vinegar,
you almost certainly will hate the resulting flavour.

Dave Balderstone wrote:

> Use white grape juice instead of the wine. Don't double the vinegar,
> you almost certainly will hate the resulting flavour.

I disagree.

White grape juice may be a problem. Someone suggested on another list I am
on to use it instead of sugar as a "natural" substitute. She had specified
Welch's so I went to their web site and looked it up. It had half again more
sugar than Coca-Cola.

I would rather have it balanced, not sour tasting, but given a choice between
too sour and too sweet, I'd go for too sour.

Geoff.
--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel [email protected] N3OWJ/4X1GM

"George Shirley" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected] ...
> Marilyn wrote:
>> I am looking at the recipe for "Bruschetta in a Jar" that's in the Ball
>> Complete Book of Home Preserving. The recipe calls for dry white wine.
>> I don't drink and I don't like to use alcohol in my cooking, other than
>> what's in vanilla extract, etc. My question is what can I substitute for
>> the wine and have the recipe still okay for preserving? It also calls
>> for white wine vinegar. Could I just use the vinegar for both and leave
>> out the wine?
>>
> Marilyn: When alcoholic beverages are used in cooking the alcohol cooks
> out to atmosphere in just a few moments, leaving behind the flavor of the
> beverage and no alcohol.
>
> I would suspect that doubling the vinegar would be a bit more sour than
> you want. HTH



You can tell me that all I want, but I still don't want to use the alcohol
in my cooking.

--
-Marilyn

"zxcvbob" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]..
> George Shirley wrote:
>> Marilyn wrote:
>>> I am looking at the recipe for "Bruschetta in a Jar" that's in the Ball
>>> Complete Book of Home Preserving. The recipe calls for dry white wine.
>>> I don't drink and I don't like to use alcohol in my cooking, other than
>>> what's in vanilla extract, etc. My question is what can I substitute
>>> for the wine and have the recipe still okay for preserving? It also
>>> calls for white wine vinegar. Could I just use the vinegar for both and
>>> leave out the wine?
>>>
>> Marilyn: When alcoholic beverages are used in cooking the alcohol cooks
>> out to atmosphere in just a few moments, leaving behind the flavor of the
>> beverage and no alcohol.
>
> Actually, it doesn't. If you cook it a long time, you can get rid of most
> of the alcohol. A good rule of thumb (and you know how inaccurate those
> can be) is half the alcohol cooks away.
>
>> I would suspect that doubling the vinegar would be a bit more sour than
>> you want. HTH
>
>
> I would probably use cheap "industrial grade" basalmic vinegar. Maybe for
> both the wine and the vinegar. HTH
>
> Bob
>

I have balsamic vinegar. I get the kind they sell at Costco.



--
-Marilyn

Marilyn wrote:

> I am looking at the recipe for "Bruschetta in a Jar" that's in the Ball
> Complete Book of Home Preserving. The recipe calls for dry white wine. I
> don't drink and I don't like to use alcohol in my cooking, other than what's
> in vanilla extract, etc. My question is what can I substitute for the wine
> and have the recipe still okay for preserving? It also calls for white wine
> vinegar. Could I just use the vinegar for both and leave out the wine?
>

Your best best would be to use dealcoholized wine

http://www.carljungwines.com

"Geoffrey S. Mendelson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]..
> George Shirley wrote:
>
>> Marilyn: When alcoholic beverages are used in cooking the alcohol cooks
>> out to atmosphere in just a few moments, leaving behind the flavor of
>> the beverage and no alcohol.
>
> Only if you want to remove the taste of alchohol. People who are alergic,
> addicted or taking medicine that reacts to alcohol (including cardiac/
> hypertension) or are relgiously opposed to the consumption of alcohol,
> do not get enough out that way.
>
> If you just object to the taste, use the wine vinegar. It won't taste
> exactly
> the same, but you may like it anyway.
>
> Geoff.
>
> --
> Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel [email protected] N3OWJ/4X1GM



That's what I'm concerned about. It's sort of like telling a vegan, well,
there's only a little meat there so it will be okay. It's not okay, though,
if someone is living by a certain code and does not wish to have the alcohol
in there at all.

--
-Marilyn

"Dave Balderstone" <dave@N_O_T_T_H_I_Sbalderstone.ca> wrote in message
news:120920091423185734%dave@N_O_T_T_H_I_Sbalderst one.ca...
> In article <h8gslf$8ip$[email protected]>, Marilyn
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> I am looking at the recipe for "Bruschetta in a Jar" that's in the Ball
>> Complete Book of Home Preserving. The recipe calls for dry white wine.
>> I
>> don't drink and I don't like to use alcohol in my cooking, other than
>> what's
>> in vanilla extract, etc. My question is what can I substitute for the
>> wine
>> and have the recipe still okay for preserving? It also calls for white
>> wine
>> vinegar. Could I just use the vinegar for both and leave out the wine?
>
> Use white grape juice instead of the wine. Don't double the vinegar,
> you almost certainly will hate the resulting flavour.


Oh, good. I'll get some white grape juice then and try it that way.

--
-Marilyn

RegForte wrote:
>
> Your best best would be to use dealcoholized wine
>
> http://www.carljungwines.com

In red letters on the top and bottom of the page:

"All of our wines contain .2% Alcohol"

Geoff.

--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel [email protected] N3OWJ/4X1GM

Marilyn wrote:
> "zxcvbob" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]..
>> George Shirley wrote:
>>> Marilyn wrote:
>>>> I am looking at the recipe for "Bruschetta in a Jar" that's in the Ball
>>>> Complete Book of Home Preserving. The recipe calls for dry white wine.
>>>> I don't drink and I don't like to use alcohol in my cooking, other than
>>>> what's in vanilla extract, etc. My question is what can I substitute
>>>> for the wine and have the recipe still okay for preserving? It also
>>>> calls for white wine vinegar. Could I just use the vinegar for both and
>>>> leave out the wine?
>>>>
>>> Marilyn: When alcoholic beverages are used in cooking the alcohol cooks
>>> out to atmosphere in just a few moments, leaving behind the flavor of the
>>> beverage and no alcohol.
>> Actually, it doesn't. If you cook it a long time, you can get rid of most
>> of the alcohol. A good rule of thumb (and you know how inaccurate those
>> can be) is half the alcohol cooks away.
>>
>>> I would suspect that doubling the vinegar would be a bit more sour than
>>> you want. HTH
>>
>> I would probably use cheap "industrial grade" basalmic vinegar. Maybe for
>> both the wine and the vinegar. HTH
>>
>> Bob
>>
>
> I have balsamic vinegar. I get the kind they sell at Costco.
>


That's the stuff. (I didn't buy mine at Costco, but it was a 750 ml or
larger bottle for just couple of dollars.)

Or you can just leave out the wine completely and add a little water at
the end if it's too thick.

Bob

Geoffrey S. Mendelson wrote:

> RegForte wrote:
>
>>Your best best would be to use dealcoholized wine
>>
>>http://www.carljungwines.com
>
>
> In red letters on the top and bottom of the page:
>
> "All of our wines contain .2% Alcohol"
>
> Geoff.
>

Clearly. But, the OP did say a non-zero amount of alcohol is
acceptable to her. Vanilla extract contains alcohol,
etc, and she's OK with that. So it's a question of amount.

Marilyn wrote:
> That's what I'm concerned about. It's sort of like telling a vegan, well,
> there's only a little meat there so it will be okay. It's not okay, though,
> if someone is living by a certain code and does not wish to have the alcohol
> in there at all.

If that's the case, then you can avoid it in vanilla by using a whole bean.

You scrape the seeds out, and use them. You can also blend the pod in some
water, but it gives it a "woody" texture.

Real vanilla beans are relatively cheap if you buy them from a restaurant
supply, I get mine in packs of 25.

I got this from Gordon Ramsay in his dessert cookbook and one of his "how to"
videos. The book is better for you if you object to his language in the shows.
:-)

BTW, IMHO you should not overdo bruschetta. Toasted bread with simple toppings
is good, things that are too complex get muddled. If you can't identify
everything in the topping, you have too many things. :-)



Geoff.

--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel [email protected] N3OWJ/4X1GM

Geoffrey S. Mendelson wrote:
> RegForte wrote:
>> Your best best would be to use dealcoholized wine
>>
>> http://www.carljungwines.com
>
> In red letters on the top and bottom of the page:
>
> "All of our wines contain .2% Alcohol"
>
> Geoff.


I wouldn't be surprised if *bread* contains .2% alcohol. It is almost
impossible to get rid of the last little bit if there's any water
present. Using 1/2 cup of .2% dealcoholized wine in a recipe
contributes about the same amount of ethanol as... (getting out
calculator) 1/8 tsp of vanilla extract or 1/16 tsp of lemon extract.
(would be a lot easier to calculate in metric grumblegrumble)

Nothing wrong with trying to eliminate that, just making sure it's an
informed decision. :-)

Bob

In article <[email protected]>, zxcvbob
<[email protected]> wrote:

> Geoffrey S. Mendelson wrote:
> > RegForte wrote:
> >> Your best best would be to use dealcoholized wine
> >>
> >> http://www.carljungwines.com
> >
> > In red letters on the top and bottom of the page:
> >
> > "All of our wines contain .2% Alcohol"
> >
> > Geoff.
>
>
> I wouldn't be surprised if *bread* contains .2% alcohol. It is almost
> impossible to get rid of the last little bit if there's any water
> present. Using 1/2 cup of .2% dealcoholized wine in a recipe
> contributes about the same amount of ethanol as... (getting out
> calculator) 1/8 tsp of vanilla extract or 1/16 tsp of lemon extract.
> (would be a lot easier to calculate in metric grumblegrumble)
>
> Nothing wrong with trying to eliminate that, just making sure it's an
> informed decision. :-)

If I recall my high school bology correctly, ethyl alcohol is produced
in the human body as part of cellular metabolism.

In article <h8h5ss$b7g$[email protected]>,
"Marilyn" <[email protected]> wrote:

> "Dave Balderstone" <dave@N_O_T_T_H_I_Sbalderstone.ca> wrote in message
> news:120920091423185734%dave@N_O_T_T_H_I_Sbalderst one.ca...
> > In article <h8gslf$8ip$[email protected]>, Marilyn
> > <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >> I am looking at the recipe for "Bruschetta in a Jar" that's in the Ball
> >> Complete Book of Home Preserving. The recipe calls for dry white wine.
> >> I
> >> don't drink and I don't like to use alcohol in my cooking, other than
> >> what's
> >> in vanilla extract, etc. My question is what can I substitute for the
> >> wine
> >> and have the recipe still okay for preserving? It also calls for white
> >> wine
> >> vinegar. Could I just use the vinegar for both and leave out the wine?
> >
> > Use white grape juice instead of the wine. Don't double the vinegar,
> > you almost certainly will hate the resulting flavour.
>
>
> Oh, good. I'll get some white grape juice then and try it that way.

Don't expect the same taste, though. White grape juice is often used in
no-sugar-added jams as the sweetener and in my head it's going to add a
sweeter taste than dry white wine would. Maybe I'm wrong.
-B
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.me.com/barbschaller - Yes, I Can! blog - check
it out. And check this, too: <http://www.kare11.com/news/
newsatfour/newsatfour_article.aspx?storyid=823232&catid=323>

In article <[email protected]>,
"Geoffrey S. Mendelson" <[email protected]> wrote:

> Dave Balderstone wrote:
>
> > Use white grape juice instead of the wine. Don't double the vinegar,
> > you almost certainly will hate the resulting flavour.
>
> I disagree.
>
> White grape juice may be a problem. Someone suggested on another list I am
> on to use it instead of sugar as a "natural" substitute. She had specified
> Welch's so I went to their web site and looked it up. It had half again more
> sugar than Coca-Cola.
>
> I would rather have it balanced, not sour tasting, but given a choice between
> too sour and too sweet, I'd go for too sour.
>
> Geoff.

Hear, hear.
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.me.com/barbschaller - Yes, I Can! blog - check
it out. And check this, too: <http://www.kare11.com/news/
newsatfour/newsatfour_article.aspx?storyid=823232&catid=323>

In article <h8h5ru$b79$[email protected]>,
"Marilyn" <[email protected]> wrote:
> That's what I'm concerned about. It's sort of like telling a vegan, well,
> there's only a little meat there so it will be okay. It's not okay, though,
> if someone is living by a certain code and does not wish to have the alcohol
> in there at all.

Understood.
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.me.com/barbschaller - Yes, I Can! blog - check
it out. And check this, too: <http://www.kare11.com/news/
newsatfour/newsatfour_article.aspx?storyid=823232&catid=323>