Can I cook with wine if a recovered alcoholic is eating it?!


Question: I'm having a dinner party and had planned to make chicken marsala, which uses wine. Now I find that one of the guests is a recovered alcoholic. I know that the alcohol evaporates in the cooking process, but I'm still concerned. Will it be "safe" to serve him this dish, or should I change my recipe?


Answers: I'm having a dinner party and had planned to make chicken marsala, which uses wine. Now I find that one of the guests is a recovered alcoholic. I know that the alcohol evaporates in the cooking process, but I'm still concerned. Will it be "safe" to serve him this dish, or should I change my recipe?

Ask him, it doesn't matter what we all think.

Many people have some strange notions about the use of alcohol that they've usually picked up in the rooms of AA. Some make no sense, but it's a matter of having your guest feel comfortable. Logically, the alcohol burns off and shouldn't make a difference, but if you don't mention it and he finds out later, he may be upset and/or cause him to believe he has cravings.

One AA member wrote in his blog about having craving so severe that he almost had to be hospitalized set off by a minute amount of vanilla extract in a cheesecake. There is no rational explanation for this, but the man believes it.

That'd be funny as heck.
I'd do it just to see his reaction.

Yes the alchohol evaporates when cooked. Just don't tell him that it's in there.

Yes, you most certainly can and it will really amp up the flavor. Just put the rest of the bottle away and don't serve alcohol to the other guests either. Maybe a nice white grape spritzer served in nice glasses?

it should be fine. Just Don't use too much wine in chicken(I love chicken, can I come? lol.)

You've got to make sure that all the alcohol is cooked out. I knew a recovering alcoholic once who was a very good cook, and he used non-alcoholic wine in his chicken marsala.

**** luck.

I had a co-worker who was a recovering alcoholic and he wouldn't even take cough syrup with a small amount of alcohol.

You should change the recipe. While most, if not all, of the alcohol will burn off leaving just the flavor of the wine, it's just not the right thing to do. How would you feel if the guest sat down for dinner and then was uncomfortable about it. Is it worth the risk of alienating them?

Yes, just tell him/her first. Some people believe that even the taste of wine or other booze will set them off on a binge. I don't believe this, but maybe this person does!

If your guest's recovery is common knowledge, not a taboo subject to discuss, and you know the person fairly well, I'd ask their preference. Ask him/her if they feel comfortable with the dinner choice. Your concern is extremely thoughtful and socially-conscious.

yup. alcohol evaporates when it's cooked.

well that is a tough call yes the alcohol is cooked out so that is not the problem it will still have some of the taste of the Marsala and if thy are new in recovery that may be enough to trigger them my advice is be honest with them ahead of time and see if thy mind some will some wont better to be safe than sorry as for my self i will not eat anything with alcohol in the sauce that is my choice we all have to decide that for our self

tricky one but be safe -rather than sh*g someones life up -
how bad would you feel if you did ????
use another ingredient- sweet soy -oyster sauce- plum sauce and other ingredients should get similar flavours.

this should not be a problem, however the kind thing to do [if he knows that you know about his continued recovery] would be to ask him. if he is unapproachable in this aspect then contact A.A. online for acurate advice.

Only the flavor remains. Do not worry

its perfectly harmless to as long as you don't tell him....all the alcohol evaporates when cooked

i wouldn't cook a dish that involves with alcohol if serving a recovering alcoholic. i would suggest you cook something else.
even knowing that the alcohol in any liquor or wine evaporates with cooking,who knows if maybe the flavour of the liquor/wine itself is a temptation too.

yess bc all of the alcohol is cooked out you will only be left with flavor. dont worry

No sense making your guest uncomfortable. Sometimes its just the thought that the alcohol is there will cause discomfort. White grape juice works well as a substitute.





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