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.

Plus . . .this is obviously an asian cooking wine. Now we're not
supposed to use domestic cooking wines; spring for a drinking wine and
use that. Should I be looking for a drinkable Shao Xing wine, for
around ten dolla?

On Oct 8, 5:07 am, "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?

It doesn't really go bad or lose its flavor. If it passes the smell
test it's probably fine.

> Plus . . .this is obviously an asian cooking wine. Now we're not
> supposed to use domestic cooking wines; spring for a drinking wine and
> use that. Should I be looking for a drinkable Shao Xing wine, for
> around ten dolla?

No, this is a cooking wine that doesn't have a good-drinking
counterpart. If you have a choice of brands, the higher priced one may
be better quality, but it's still for cooking only. -aem

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.
>
> Plus . . .this is obviously an asian cooking wine. Now we're not
> supposed to use domestic cooking wines; spring for a drinking wine and
> use that. Should I be looking for a drinkable Shao Xing wine, for
> around ten dolla?
>

I've never tasted a Shao Xing I liked... in any way. After
making a few recipes that contained it I switched to sherry
and never looked back.

--
Reg

On 8 Oct 2006 05:07:13 -0700, "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.
>
That always happens to me too. I buy it, use it once or twice and the
rest of it sits around. How does it smell? They are relitavely
inexpensive, so I'd just get a new one.

>Plus . . .this is obviously an asian cooking wine. Now we're not
>supposed to use domestic cooking wines; spring for a drinking wine and
>use that. Should I be looking for a drinkable Shao Xing wine, for
>around ten dolla?

I have absolutely no idea if there is good or bad shao xing, but I
certainly won't go out and spend: 1. the time finding another brand 2.
the $10 on something I use so little and know nothing about.
--
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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.

I have one brand of Shao Xing I bought over 10 yrs ago. I'm almost
out and have been unable to find it again, anywhere. I bought a
replacement that's not very good and I will probably start using some
decent sherry I have, instead. It's used primarily as a flavor
component, so use what tastes good.

nb

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.
>
> Plus . . .this is obviously an asian cooking wine. Now we're not
> supposed to use domestic cooking wines; spring for a drinking wine and
> use that. Should I be looking for a drinkable Shao Xing wine, for
> around ten dolla?
>

Awful stuff IMO, maybe its an acquired taste. I prefer a good Japanese
saki to the Chinese rice wine.

One of my favourites is equal parts saki, sesame oil and soy sauce,
thoroughly blended it can be used as a marinade, sauce, dipping sauce,
flavouring ingredient, reduced and used to glaze & etc.
---
JL

On Sun, 08 Oct 2006 11:04:38 -0700, Joseph Littleshoes
> wrote:

>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.
>>
>> Plus . . .this is obviously an asian cooking wine. Now we're not
>> supposed to use domestic cooking wines; spring for a drinking wine and
>> use that. Should I be looking for a drinkable Shao Xing wine, for
>> around ten dolla?
>>
>
>Awful stuff IMO, maybe its an acquired taste. I prefer a good Japanese
>saki to the Chinese rice wine.
>
>One of my favourites is equal parts saki, sesame oil and soy sauce,
>thoroughly blended it can be used as a marinade, sauce, dipping sauce,
>flavouring ingredient, reduced and used to glaze & etc.
>---
>JL

Saved! Thanks

btw: your sig delimiter should be two hyphens followed by a space
--
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On 2006-10-08, sf <sf> wrote:
>>
>>One of my favourites is equal parts saki, sesame oil and soy sauce,

> Saved! Thanks

Add a little sugar and you have teriyaki sauce.

nb

Some of these Chinese cooking wines contain salt. The winos in major cities
call this stuff "Chinese Torture". Can you imagine the hangover with rice
wine laced with enough salt to make it unpalatable? I have a bottle in my
pantry and there it shall remain.

Farmer John
45N,77W

You dlink that stuff, YOU CLAZY!!!!

F.J.

On Sun, 08 Oct 2006 13:58:19 -0500, notbob > wrote:

>On 2006-10-08, sf <sf> wrote:
>>>
>>>One of my favourites is equal parts saki, sesame oil and soy sauce,
>
>> Saved! Thanks
>
>Add a little sugar and you have teriyaki sauce.
>
>nb

Also saved, thanks!
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On Sun, 8 Oct 2006 15:18:53 -0400, "fudge" >
wrote:

>Some of these Chinese cooking wines contain salt. The winos in major cities
>call this stuff "Chinese Torture". Can you imagine the hangover with rice
>wine laced with enough salt to make it unpalatable? I have a bottle in my
>pantry and there it shall remain.
>
>Farmer John
>45N,77W
>

John, dare I ask how you know this?

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notbob wrote:

> On 2006-10-08, sf <sf> wrote:
>
>>>One of my favourites is equal parts saki, sesame oil and soy sauce,
>
>
>>Saved! Thanks
>
>
> Add a little sugar and you have teriyaki sauce.
>
> nb

Well sure, you can also add ginger, garlic, scallions etc. etc. any body
know the Japanese name for this basic sauce? i seem to recall it being
called "Onami" but i am not sure about that.
--
JL

John, dare I ask how you know this?

I know some winos. When the wine budget runs a little low, these connoiseurs
will purchase Chinese cooking wine. The are no provincial or federal taxes
on cooking wine. It is 20% alc/vol but the hangover with salt is horrible.

F.J.

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?

--
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Music, Recipes, Photos, and mo

http://www.sequoiagrove.dk

"You don´t frighten us, English pig-dogs! Go and boil your bottoms, sons
of a silly person. I blow my nose at you, so-called Arthur-king, you and
all your silly English kaniggets. Thppppt!"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

fudge wrote:
> John, dare I ask how you know this?
>
> I know some winos. When the wine budget runs a little low, these connoiseurs
> will purchase Chinese cooking wine. The are no provincial or federal taxes
> on cooking wine. It is 20% alc/vol but the hangover with salt is horrible.
>

In Denmark the drunks buy household spirits, which they dilute into an
empty beer bottle with water from a fountain.

--
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Music, Recipes, Photos, and mo

http://www.sequoiagrove.dk

"You don´t frighten us, English pig-dogs! Go and boil your bottoms, sons
of a silly person. I blow my nose at you, so-called Arthur-king, you and
all your silly English kaniggets. Thppppt!"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Michael Archon Sequoia Nielsen wrote:

> Sherry is a pretty broad spectrum.
> Which kind does Shao Xing resemble?
>
Most people recommend the driest sherry for use in cooking Chinese
food. aka "fino," I think. Not the cream type. -aem