Dry White Wine Substitution For An AA Member

[jennyema]

2. Make something else. There's plenty of wonderful foods that require neither alcohol nor alcohol substitutes.

I agree with this. And also Clive B.'s observation that "Is Coquilles St Jacques the same dish without white wine? I think not..."

It won't taste the same if you sub vinegar/juice/stock. It might taste good, but definitely won't be the same. If it is a favorite of DH's, it might make him miss the wine even more. Just a thought.

 

[Mel!]

I did not know that, GB.
Thanks for the information.

Mel

 

[GB]

Anytime Mel

 

[Caine]

If a person is an active member of AA, the last thing s/he wants is some type of alcoholic beverage in the house, regardless of whether you are going to cook off the alcohol in the recipe.

I would substitute unsweetened white grape juice, which you can find in any large supermarket, or unsweetened apple cider, mixed half and half with water.

 

[shpj4]

I really think you should use another receipe. Wine is great for what you are cooking but for someone in AA there cannot be any alcohol in the food.

 

[Michael in FtW]

Wine generally contains 12% alcohol, frotified wines contain 14%-18% normally but can run as high as 24%. Non-alcoholic and De-alcoholized wines are essentially the same thing - and they both contain about 0.5% alcohol. Read the labels.

Verjuice is truly non-alcoholic, as is unsweetened red and white grape juice, and apple juice. When I sub for wine I tend to go with the color of juice that fits the color of wine called for in the recipe- with 1/2-1 teaspoon of vinegar per cup.

Vinegar - just a note here ... unless it's distilled (that will be stated on the label) it contains some alcohol, generally less than 0.5% but some Asian vinegars can contain up to about 0.8% - the alcohol content doesn't have to be listed on the label due to labeling regulations. I wasn't aware of this until a Muslim neighbor brought it to my attention. Lemon juice is a safe non-alcoholic acid source.

Another source of alcohol in the kitchen is in flavoring extracts - like, but not limited to, vanilla. Pure extracts can contain anywhere from 8.5%-35% alcohol. Immitation flavorings generally do not contain alcohol unless they are a mix of immitation flavorings and extracts- then you're looking at some alcohol content. You just have to read the labels to see what you are getting.

 

[marigeorge]

You could use the following substitutions.

To replace 1/2 cup wine use:
1/2 cup broth + 1 teaspoon wine vinegar for red wine
1/2 cup broth + 1 teaspoon lemon juice for white wine

 

[avalondeb]

I know a few alcoholics. It's the "taste" they have to avoid as well as the "buzz", so non-alcoholic wine might be a trigger as well. Like those O'Doulles (sp?) beers are no-no's as well.

I'd go with the cider/stock/lemon combination. For red wine substitute, I'd do some type of balsamic vinegar reduction.

 

[mamabailly]

avalondeb

Thanks for your help. I have tried cider w/lemon with some sucess but I like the idea of stock as an addition to substitute for dry white wine. I will try the reduced balsamic vinegar for red wine also. You are correct about the smell of "fake" wine and the taste it lends to dishes. My husband even has trouble sleeping in the same bed with me if I have gone to lunch with the girls and had 1 or 2 glasses of wine. He can smell it on my breath. It is very hard for him but he is making great progress. Thanks for understanding.

 

[mamabailly]

Yt9025

Thanks for your thoughtful reply! I have not been on this site since Oct. Thought I'd give you an update on my husband: He has now been "dry" for almost 6 months. Of this I'm very proud!
Mamabailly

 

[GB]

That is fantastic news mamabailly. Tell him to keep up the great work!

 

[Candocook]

That is truly wonderful. Perhaps not having wine at lunch could be of even more support to him in his quest for sobriety and health.
"alcohol-free" wine is NOT. it has less than 0.5% alcohol--and has less flavor than white grape juice. Or actually it TASTES like white grape juice!! DO not waste your money!!! It isn't inexpensive, and certainly not worth cooking with, even if it could be alcohol free!

 

[linnkell]

substitution and support

I got on this web site to ask about old buttermilk. Then I saw Mamabilly's post. Her's is a question I have grappled with since I got sober 20 months ago with the help of the AA fellowship. I appreciate the great suggestions, the words of support and understanding, and the comments of those who now know a little bit more of alcoholism & recovery. There's alot more here than just cooking advice! Thanks to all for my daily boost.

 

[GB]

Way to go linnkell. 20 months is awesome. Keep up the great work!

 

[jkath]

A great big Whoo-Hoo to linkell!! 20 months!!!! Fantastic!

and yes, this site is way more than just cooking ideas.