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Tuesday 2 June 2020

You don't have to drink wine - things you can do with it other than drinking

As many of my blogging friends will know (or realise) I do enjoy a glass of wine with my meal. Not only is wine a popular alcoholic beverage made from fermented grape juice, but red and white wine are also popular cooking ingredients. Indeed some of the recipes featured within the blog have wine added to the gravy/sauce to enhance flavour and colour. Additionally, wine is often used in cooking to provide moisture, tenderize meat or to deglaze a pan. If you don’t have wine on hand, or if you choose not to consume alcohol, there are many non-alcoholic substitutes you can use in cooking that will make your food just as delicious, and you can read more about that here



... but to continue! Did you know there are "Five things you can do with wine other than drinking - from cooking to gardening and even cleaning" - read on and see what they are! 

"We've all been there, you open a bottle of wine and suddenly you're left with two options: either finish the bottle for the sake of it or keeping it "for tomorrow", a.k.a forgetting about it and ultimately pouring it down the sink. But wine is surprisingly versatile and can be used for many things. The experts at Cult Wines have shared with us their 5 top tips for using leftover wine, so you don't feel like you have to finish it there and then – nor do you have to resign yourself to empty it down the drain. 

Put wine in ice cubes to cook with at a later date
Pour leftovers into an ice cube tray and once frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag or container – they'll be ready to go whenever needed. Add them to white wine for quick cooling without the dilution of regular ice, or save them for recipes that call for small volumes of wine. 

Make white wine vinegar
A great addition to the condiment cupboard of budding chefs and gastro fans, Williams Sonoma has a recipe that will take an afternoon to prepare and will yield delicious results in about three months. 

Make wine syrup
Who knew that you could make a sweet and tasty syrup from wine? You can even make it with individual flavourings, such as vanilla bean or fresh ginger. Cult Wines recommend using Kitchn site easy three-step recipe that takes less than half an hour to make. 

Transform wine into grease remover
If you've got a bottle of leftover white that's passed the point of consumption in any shape or form, it can still be put to use as a grease stain remover. Stir up a mixture of white wine and baking soda and apply to grubby patches on your garage floor, outdoor pathways, or patio. Let it sit for a few minutes and then wipe away. 

Use wine in the garden
Turns out, pouring red wine into your compost bin activates the good bacteria already present in the mixture, helping your plants and garden to grow. Just be sure to keep your compost bin's moisture under control once you add the wine."
The above from article here

Of these five suggestions, I have used the first tip - have you used any of them? Do you think you will? Please share your views in the comments. 

Related Posts that use wine in cooking
Beef Bourguignon - more details here
Lamb and Swede/Rutabaga Hotpot - more details here 
Pork Loin pot-roasted with pancetta, swede and celeriac - more details here
Cod Parcels, steamed with fennel and herbs - more details here
Mushroom Bourguignon with Celeriac Mash, vegetarian - more details here




As regular readers know, this blog is presented in a magazine style - we hope something for everyone. You will find a variety of articles, studies, thoughts, photographs, cartoons, music and recipes! However, not all the recipes ideas featured in this blog may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter. 

All the best Jan

31 comments:

Tom said...

...I'll pass.

baili said...

oh that is quite a knowledge for me dear Jan :)

hope all is well in your world my friend!

Margaret D said...

Interesting.

CJ Kennedy said...

I had no clue wine could be used for other things besides cooking or drinking

carol l mckenna said...

Great ideas for wine use ~ thanks ^_^

Be Safe, Be Well,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)

Valerie-Jael said...

A good wine is always fine! Valerie

Balvinder said...

Great tips, though I would finish the bottle or put the leftover wine in ice cube tray :D

Lorrie said...

These uses for wine are mostly new to me. Who knew that red wine helps compost?

Mary Kirkland said...

I don't drink at all.

VENTANA DE FOTO said...

No tengo problemas ninguno para consumir vino, lo tomo con moderación. Ahora que llega el verano, me hago un tinto de verano, que consiste en poner un vaso vino tinto a discrección y refresco de limón.

A la carne siempre le incorporo un poco de vino blanco.

Besos

This N That said...

Interesting ideas..I prefer drinking it..ice cubes and cooking are good too..Enjoy your day!!

https://linsartyblobs.blogspot.com said...

I can't see me pouring red wine into a compost bin, I'd rather drink it.

Elephant's Child said...

Adding wine to the compost is a very new thought to me. I wonder, I really wonder.
Thanks for these.
My mother always said that if you spilled red wine onto clothing or a cloth dowsing the spill with white wine would prevent it staining...

Christine said...

good information, never thought of making my own white wine vingegar.

DeniseinVA said...

Great tips on the use of wine, thanks so much!

My name is Erika. said...

Huh. I should try the red wine in the compost bin. Maybe it would speed up the process a little bit. fascinating post today.

sandy said...

wow, such interesting uses ...i would have never guessed ...but if it is almost empty i probably will finish it off but if I don't...i'm keeping that list for reference.

and that chocolate vegan cake below looks so good.

peppylady (Dora) said...

Didn't know about wine as a grease remover

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

Useful information in the event I ever buy a bottle of either red or white wine.

Iris Flavia said...

Thank you, thank you, thank you! LOL!
We always fight with recipes once a bottle of wine is open! Usually a present, we do not drink wine. Where store it, goulash, more goulash, spaghetti sauce, help. How long...
Freezer, that is THE solution!
Or the herbs I am to plant! :-)

mamasmercantile said...

Impressive uses for those odd little bits left in the bottle.

Ana Mínguez Corella said...

Good idea!!! Have a great week!!!..

Elderberry-Rob said...

I prefer drinking it but if i was silly enough to leave any i would remember the ice cube trick and save some for cooking. Thanks.

Sami said...

I'm not much of a drinker, only drinking a glass of wine occasionally, but I had no idea about any of these tips. Thanks Jan

Divers and Sundry said...

Great ideas! Wine always goes bad on me before I can finish it.

DVArtist said...

Great post on wine especially for the garden.

betty-NZ said...

I never really thought about other uses before! Thanks for the tips!

Teresa said...

Muy interesante todo. Yo en vino también lo uso para cocinar. Besitos.

Conniecrafter said...

wow, who knew all the stuff that you can do with wine

pam nash said...

Another way to use wine - Wine Jelly. I used to make it all the time! Good stuff!

Debbie said...

these are some great ideas. the husband and i do not drink wine, but occasionally we are gifted a bottle, now i know why to do with it!!!