Cooking with Alcohol

(Bagatelle) The typical bagatelle in La Beauce is a child’s delight of Jell-O, white cake, and strawberry jam. We prefer this grown-up version, with fresh fruit, custard (instead of Jell-O), and a drizzle of marsala.

Venison sausage takes on a rich, yeasty flavor when braised in lager-style beer with carrots, leeks, apples, and savoy cabbage. See the Recipe for Venison Sausage Braised in Beer»

Crisp, crunchy ladyfingers and toasted hazelnuts mold together with sweet raspberries, chopped chocolate, and brandy for the perfect biscotti-like, freeze-made treat. See the recipe for Chocolate Brandy Hazelnut Torte »

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Inspired by Norman cuisine, we married a hearty pork loin with apples and the classic beverages of the Calvados region of Normandy, France—hard cider and calvados.

This recipe is based on one in Gerry Galvin’s Drimcong Food Affair (McDonald, 1992), a collection of recipes from his now closed restaurant. Get the recipe for Tipsy Pudding With Mulled Wine »

This is a hearty Irish variation on steak and kidney pie, made with the island’s most famous beer. Get the recipe for Beef and Guinness Pie »

Oloroso sherry and cognac add a little zing to a classic whipped dessert–try adding a little raspberry purée or a few chopped white peaches. See the recipe for Syllabub »

Creamy, chocolaty, and with a touch of rum is how we would describe this popular dessert. The buttery chocolate-cookie crust used for this pie is our favorite of the options offered by Woman’s Day Encyclopedia of Cookery (Fawcett Publication, Inc. 1965). See the recipe for Black-Bottom Pie »

These oyster fritters are meltingly tender with a beer batter that is surprisingly airy.

This dish is made from a recipe in The Country Cooking of France by Anne Willan. A blend of red wine, various vegetables and herbs, and chicken, this dish is savory all year long. See the recipe for Coq au Vin »

Redolent of oregano and cinnamon, these pork kebabs owe their tenderness to a red wine marinade. Get the recipe for Pork Kebabs with Cucumber-Mint Yogurt Sauce »

In this dish, fresh blue crabs are steamed in a flavorful mixture of chile, garlic, lime, and beer. See the recipe for Beer-Steamed Crabs »

This classic dessert is moistened with the sweetened, wine-spiked cream known as syllabub. See the recipe for Raspberry Trifle »

The hearty flavor of lean game meat pairs wonderfully with a simple red wine sauce. See the Recipe for Rabbit Braised in Red Wine»

Preserving figs in citric acid and brandy helps prevent the growth of microorganisms in the fruit, and boiling the mixture in canning jars produces an airtight seal. If you have leftover fig syrup when you are finished canning, strain and refrigerate it to drizzle over ice cream or to stir into iced tea. See the recipe for Figs in Brandy »

Our favorite mustard recipe uses brown mustard seeds and Guinness beer (which lends a malty character and hints of sweetness). See the recipe for Spicy Guinness Mustard »

Houston chef Bryan Caswell simmers collard greens in chicken broth and gewürztraminer, a slightly sweet white wine, to deepen their flavor. See the recipe for Wine-Simmered Collard Greens »

Based on a dish served at Birrificio Italiano, a brewery and restaurant in Italy’s Lombardy region, this puttanesca-style pasta sauce is enriched with Bibock, the brewery’s bock-style beer.

This Mexican take on a Cajun-style bread pudding is studded with cubes of squash and plump raisins.

Steeping the saffron in vodka helps boost the flavor of the spice throughout the cake.

Serve these garlicky mussels with crusty bread. See the recipe for Mussels in White Wine

Poaching Bosc pears in port wine turns them a beautiful, vibrant red. Get the recipe for Port Wine Poached Pears »

Adding beer to the batter helps the fish for these tacos fry up golden brown and lightly crispy.

TAIWAN Mild and faintly sweet, Chinese rice wine is the standard cooking liquid and sauce for this sesame oil chicken dish. See the recipe for Ma You Ji »

These simple gelled fruit desserts made with rosé champagne are an elegant way to serve summer berries. Get the Raspberries in Pink Champagne Gelée »

This Japanese take on the Italian classic, made with sake-steamed littleneck clams, shiitake mushrooms, and julienned yakinori, is our new favorite way to eat pasta. The mushrooms and seaweed lend the umami notes provided by pancetta in the original dish.

“The meatballs were left on our porch in a Farberware pot with a loaf of Italian bread and a note that said: ‘Figured you wouldn’t have time to cook.'” Get the recipe for Classic Meatballs

Cooks in the Italian Alpine village of Oulx flavor this tart with red wine and cinnamon to honor the town’s patron saint, Sant’Antonio. Get the recipe for Torta di Sant’Antonio (Sant’Antonio Apple Tart) »

The trifle is a very old concoction—by some accounts, more than 300 years old—but twentieth century variations have turned it into a classic, occasion-ready centerpiece. Drenched in sherry and kirsch, our version features layer upon layer of ginger cake, custard, berries, chocolate, and cream.

Tender veal shoulder soaks up the rich wine sauce in this slow-cooked dish. See the Recipe for Braised Veal»

Chef Elizabeth Karmel of Hill Country Barbecue in New York City serves this infused tequila drizzled over everything from grilled fish to grilled peaches. See the Tequila Hot Sauce recipe »