On Nov 2, 11:29 am, "JOHN CZEPKOWSKI" > wrote:
> What is the difference between Cooking Sherry vs Dry Sherry. The recipe
> calls for Dry Sherry - isn't that the same as cooking Sherry? The Cooking
> Sherry only has 2g of sugar per 2 Tbsp serving - does that make it sweet? I
> know it has salt in it that drinkable sherry would not contain. Thanks for
> your replies. Mark
>
> --
> I would rather live my life as if there is a God, and die to find out there
> isn't, than live my life as if there isn't, and die to find out there is.

Since many who post and read this groups are not in the US, perhaps it
is worth mentioning a little US history. In the early 1900s when
alcohol was made illegal in all of the US, there were some exceptions
to the law. A bit of wine could be made and sold for religious
sacrements. Also one could make a certain amount of wine at home for
personal use if certain rules were followed. Alcohol also was allowed
in certain products including medicine, flavor extracts, etc. where
the product was such that many poeple would not drink it for the
alcohol. Cooking wine that contained a lot of salt could be sold,
because not many people would drink much of it. Alcohol could be
denatured with several additives for use in solvents for various
purpose. There were volumes of details and restrictions describing
legal uses of alcohol.

Alcohol became legal again in the 1930s, but individual states, or
even such a small subdivision as a township could vote to remain dry,
and many did. Some would allow sales of beer, but not spirits and
wine. There still are a few local small devisions of states in the US
that remain dry. There are yet more that allow sales for home use, but
do not allow sales in bars and restaurants. Thus a small market for
cooking wine containing a lot of salt remains to this day. Cooking
"Sherry" seems to be the most common cooking wine. The thing to
remember is the salt added to the wine. If much wine is used, the salt
added to the dish should be reduced. If something is cooked in a lot
of wine and a sauce is made from the reduced cooking liquid, cooking
wine may make the dish too salty even if no other salt is added to the
dish.

Then there are a few people still very anti-alcohol who would not be
seen in a liquor store in case their friends might think they are
drinking alcohol. There are several religions in the US that are very
anti-alcohol. And of course good Moslems do not drink alcohol. Good
Mormons do not drink alcohol or coffee. Most of those who I have met
who do not drink alcohol will tolerate a bit of alcohol in a flavoring
such as cooking wine or vanilla extract, since the nature of the
product prevents most people from drinking enough to produce symptoms
of alcohol intake. But there are a very few who will not knowingly
consume anything containing alcohol. Of course everyone has a tiny bit
of alcohol in them that is produced in the body by reactions
concerning digestion of food.