On Tue, 10 Feb 2004 11:42:57 GMT, "Charles Gifford"
> wrote:

>
>"Rodney Myrvaagnes" > wrote in message
.. .
><snip>
>> I don't believe, without further evidence, that a large fraction of
>> the alcohol remains after cooking. If that were true, stills wouldn't
>> work in a reasonable period of time.
>.
>> Rodney Myrvaagnes NYC J36 Gjo/a
>
>A flat-earther eh Rodney? <grin> The alcohol certainly remains in my
>favorite recipe as it goes in at the end of cooking. So here is a
>no-question-about-it alcoholic pasta!
>
>Charlie
>
>PENNE A LA VODKA
>
>Source: San Diego Union, date unknown
>
>3/4 lb. penne
>1 tbs. olive oil
>2 tbs. butter
>1 onion, finely chopped
>1/2 lb. tomatoes, peeled and chopped
>4 tbs. heavy cream
>coarse salt to taste
>freshly ground pepper to taste
>4 tbs. vodka, steeped overnight or longer with 1 tbs. hot red pepper flakes
>freshly grated Parmesan to taste
>
>
>Cook penne to al dente and drain. Meanwhile make the sauce. Heat olive oil
>and butter in a skillet. Soften the onions without browning and add the
>tomatoes. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add the cream and cook for 1 minute.
>Season with salt and pepper. Add the vodka and simmer for 2 minutes. Toss
>the penne with the sauce in a heated bowl and serve with the cheese.
>
>
Sounds pleasant enough, but doesn't address what I said. Your 4 tbsp
of vodka contains about 4 tsp of alcohol, depending on proof, when you
put it in. You simmer for 2 minutes near the boiling point of water,
or about 20 deg C above the boiling point of the vodka (water-alcohol
mix ca 40% by wt.)

One could devise an experiment to measure the alcohol loss in 2
minutes, but unless there is some reputable published measurement, I
don't consider that amount worth bothering about.

The rest of the sauce amounts to about a pint, so before simmering you
have about 5% by vol--like beer.

In no way comparable to a creme-de-menthe parfait.





Rodney Myrvaagnes J36 Gjo/a

"That idiot Leibniz, who wants to teach me about the infinitesimally small! Has he therefore forgotten that I am the wife of Frederick I? How can he imagine that I am unacquainted with my own husband?"