A glass of white wine to the Risotto, a whole bottle of Burgundy to the roast Beef. In the Sauce add a shot of Madeira, in the Mousse au Chocolat is a spoon of Cognac it must. Alcohol, more or less high percentage, is on the list of ingredients of many recipes, from Appetizers to Dessert. He contributes Aroma, fruity acidity, and sometimes a sweet taste.
“I used to overcooked gallons of port wine,” recalls Sybille Schönberger. With 27 years in the cook received her first Michelin star, and today she runs a cooking school and advises catering establishments. Alcohol-no cooking, which is now largely – and not just because she has children. Family planning, however, was the trigger, the alcohol content of the meals has to be questioned.
Many Amateur chefs have similar concerns. Wine to the sauce may still, if children eat? An eggnog cake is a good idea, if a guest has any health problems with alcohol? Or the alcohol plays no role, because he overcooked anyway?
“It’s not that simple, unfortunately,” says Sascha Rohn, Professor of food chemistry at the University of Hamburg. “Alcohol evaporates theoretically in the case of 78.3 degrees. He is tied, however, in Parts of the other ingredients, and thus, the court held.”
No alcohol in the food for children and Pregnant women
How the individual ingredients react with each other, is hardly explored. Therefore, you can’t calculate how much residual alcohol from a glass of Sherry remains in the Sauce left from a Liter of red wine in the stew, if the food is finally on the table.
A study by the University of Idaho – the dates, however, from the year 1992 – provides at least some clues. The scientists studied six dishes In braised meat, the köchelte two and a half hours in the pot, only four percent of the initially added alcohol detectable in a Grand Marnier Sauce, however, is still 85 percent.
“The cooking time plays a role, the temperature, the intensity, the stir. But there is no rule of thumb, you could estimate how much alcohol and in what time overcooked,” says Rohn. The food chemist recommends: “children, Pregnant women and alcohol sick people, one should not offer alcohol, prepared food that’s why.”
A totally alcohol-free diet, however, is “to implement hardly,” says Fabienne Kroening, social worker at the Blue cross in Wuppertal, Germany. The addiction assistance Association supports at risk of addiction, and addiction to sick people and their families.
Food with alcohol: from Sauerkraut to candy
Surprisingly, many foods contain alcohol: Sauerkraut or Kefir, for example, as a result of a fermentation process, but also many of the finished products and confectionery. On packaged items, all ingredients must be listed, the alcohol is hidden sometimes under names such as Ethanol or ethyl alcohol.
In the case of unpacked goods, such as a Snack from the snack bar or from the bakery, are not subject to this marking requirement. Also in the case of beverages, the alcoholic content must be indicated only if it is higher than 1.2% by volume. A beer contains less than 0.5 percent by volume, may manufacturers refer to it as “alcohol-free”.
Small traces of alcohol on health were not a problem, “but if a food tastes like alcohol, is more than just a trace of alcohol,” says Kroening.
Nevertheless, the immediate danger of a relapse for alcohol-dependent people is often not as high as assumed. “Mechanisms, which lead to an Alcohol relapse, are more diverse psychological in nature and have more to do with the inner attitude and the mental Constitution than actually in the body of the recorded amount of alcohol.” So already, the alcohol could cause taste due to a flavouring substance in Affected a the pressure of Addiction.
What Alternatives are there?
How can the desired spiciness is also different to achieve? “You should think, what tastes similar to,” advises chef Schönberger. “If I could be the chocolate or cinnamon based of a wine is important to you, then I can also use a piece of dark chocolate or a Cinnamon stick.”
Grape juice is perfect for dark sauces, white balsamic vinegar white wine can substitute a grated Apple in the Bolognese Sauce for acid. “You must trust just a little bit to try,” says Schönberger. “We go very lightly with the alcohol while cooking. I can’t find the time.”