A question about a recipe: Butternut Squash and Bourbon Bisque

I have a question about the ingredient "sherry" on the recipe "Butternut Squash and Bourbon Bisque" from ErinC.

How do know which type of sherry to use? what is the difference between regular and cooking sherry?

joriev
  • Posted by: joriev
  • December 15, 2011
  • 2618 views
  • 5 Comments

5 Comments

joriev December 16, 2011
Thanks everyone. As a non drinker, dishes containing alcohol sometimes have me perplexed if it doesn't specify specifically the type to use.
 
nutcakes December 16, 2011
I agree with davidpdx and go farther to say to never purchase the commercial product called 'cooking sherry' as it will just ruin your dish. It is just rot gut sherry make undrinkable by salt. Leave the sherry out or use vermouth in most recipes, but since this calls for such a large amount, skip the dish or buy real sherry. Even a cheap dry one (Fino, Manzanilla, or the slightly sweeter Amontillado) at he grocery store are better. But Trader Joe's, if you have one, will have a decent one for just as cheap. Check a decent liquor store too.
 
davidpdx December 15, 2011
Cooking sherry is the lowest quality sherry one could imagine, with gobs of salt added to make it undrinkable (so it can be sold without an alcohol license) and to preserve it. Any economical real sherry will be orders of magnitude better, flavorwise, and will let you control the salt level of the recipe. Just use a relatively dry sherry (fino, manzanilla, or amontillado) and not a cream sherry. Plus, you will have something decent to sip while cooking!
 
ErinC December 15, 2011
cooking sherry tends to be cheaper, but it's okay to use for this recipe!
 
ErinC December 15, 2011
I'd use whatever is on hand. If you like sherry for sipping and have an open bottle, use that, but otherwise cooking sherry is fine. I also enjoy amantillado in this recipe!
 
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