"blake murphy" wrote
> cshenk wrote:

>> A translation there. Most asiatic recipes get translated to use dry
>> sherry
>> vice 'rice wine' (sake or mirin are japanese names for it).

> mirin, with its added sugar, is not a good substitute. sake would likely
> produce a good result, but different.

Agreed. Sake is a more natural cross to dry sherry. Mirin may do in some
recipes, but you'd adjust any added sugar to accomodate. Just like if the
recipe was written around cooking sherry, and you used sake instead, you may
need to adjust the salt.

> amanda would be better off buying a
> dry sherry from taylor or gallo, which probably costs about the same as
> 'cooking wine' sold at the grocery, given the size of the bottles. sherry
> keeps well.

Yes. Though she has some now I gather? It will keep well for a very long
time, just like a bottle of sake or mirin used for cooking will keep.

> a chinese restaurant may use rice wine with added salt, but almost never
> (i
> would think) cooking sherry.

;-) hopefully! But you never know! All in all, depending on the cuisine
she is trying to replicate, she'll find the added 'fruityness' of the sherry
may be a distractor in some dishes and in others, may add a sweet depth she
will like.

My general rule of thumb (not totally hard and fast, just works as a
generic). If it uses peanuts, water chestnuts, or dashi, then dry sherry
tends to be a negative element. If it uses chicken or vegetable stock (and
not peanuts or water chestnuts) and minimal seaweeds, then sherry tends to
work quite well and may even be better.

If the recipe says 'plum wine' then Sherry seems to work well as an
acceptable swap if you dont have plum wine handy.