Michael Archon Sequoia Nielsen wrote:
> notbob wrote:
>
>> On 2006-10-08, stark > wrote:
>>
>>> I've got a bottle that's a couple of years old, maybe five. Golden
>>> Pagoda brand, bought at an Asia market for about Fi dolla. Does it go
>>> bad? Lose its flavoring? Bottle's brown, but liquid looks relatively
>>> clear; no sediment. Should I spring for a new one or just use Sherry.
>>
>>
>> This type of cooking wine is high alcohol, usually up around 20%. It
>> will last just about forever. Some Shao Xing wines can be very good
>> in quality. Most are mediocre. The flavor is very sherry-like and
>> sherry is the standard recommended substitute, so if you have some
>> sherry you prefer, by all means use it.
>
>
> Sherry is a pretty broad spectrum.
> Which kind does Shao Xing resemble?
>


The round (as opposed to square "cooking wine" with salt) bottle of Shao
Xing rice wine as produced by Zhejiang co. of The peoples republic of
China with the red label and gold lettering tastes to me like a
combination of burnt coffee and caramel.

I tried it with several recipes from a Chinese cook book to no good
effect, replacing the rice wine with even a mediocre saki is a vast
improvement.

However, i have not tried anything other than the very inexpensive rice
wine, $1.75 US for a 25.4 fl. oz. at 17% alc. by vol.

If somebody could recommend a brand or version of rice wine they would
recommend i would be interested.

The store i purchased the inexpensive rice wine at has a wide selection
and varying prices but i have no idea which version to try.
--
JL