I received the call as I reached the train station, “We need some wine for the dish I am cooking for dinner!”. Naturally I leapt to the nearest wine shop and grabbed up a $500 bottle of Shiraz, thereby saving the meal and the future of mankind.

Ok that is a smidge over the top, however having heard the chef’s chant that one should never cook with a wine one wouldn’t drink, and that it should be a fine wine I find myself ambivalent. I have cooked with wine I wouldn’t drink straight, Old Hayshed Red, made of haysheds as opposed to in one, when added as the essential ingredient of Coq-au-vin absolutely made the meal. A dinner that needs a rough and ready wine to bring it to its full potential.

Tonights dinner was a conundrum, what wine is required to cook red cabbage? A side dish recipe from Jane Lawsons “Snow Flakes and Schnapps” recipe book to go with Kaesler Chops. A robust wine I felt, so probably not a Merlot or Sangiovese. A Pinot Noir may have been adequate.. however… In the end I chose a Tatachilla Partners Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz. Now as the dish would only require one or two glasses itself, the rest would need to serve as Cooks Wine ( as opposed to cooking wine )

So although I may cook with a wine I wouldn’t necessarily choose to drink, cooks wine does demand something a little better.

Google Books link to Spiced Red Cabbge in Jane Lawsons “Snow Flakes and Schnapps”

Amazon Link to Jane Lawsons “Snow Flakes and Schnapps”

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