Subj : Re: Creamed Mushrooms On
To : Dave Drum
From : Sean Dennis
Date : Wed Aug 06 2025 06:01 pm
-=> Dave Drum wrote to Sean Dennis <=-
DD> Don't look now - but the alcohol in the hooch cooks away. And the
DD> "etracts" in my cupboard... every one of the -are at least 90% alcohol.
Studies have shown that is not necessarily true with the "cooking out"
of alcohol.
A summary from Copilot (easier than me doing the footwork!):
===
?? **Does Alcohol Fully Cook Out of Food?**
Not entirely. Despite the common belief that alcohol "burns off" during
cooking, scientific studies show that **some alcohol often remains**,
depending on several factors.
### ?? What the Research Shows
According to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and other
sources:
### ?? Factors That Affect Alcohol Retention
- **Cooking time**: Longer cooking reduces alcohol content.
- **Temperature**: Alcohol evaporates at 173F (78.5C), but only with
sustained heat.
- **Pan size**: Larger pans allow more evaporation.
- **Stirring**: Promotes evaporation.
- **Other ingredients**: Toppings or enclosed dishes can trap alcohol.
### ?? Why It Matters
For people who avoid alcohol--due to recovery, pregnancy, religious
reasons, or medication interactions--even small amounts can be
significant. So it's wise to ask about ingredients or opt for
alcohol-free recipes.
===
I don't use any extracts.
I know you are not a religious man but the reason why I don't (save for
my straying while in the Army) is due to the Word of Wisdom. Not
cooking with alcohol avoids the appearence of impropriety.
(NOTE: I am posting this in here as an explanation and am not trying to
start a religious discussion. God forbid I piss someone off again.)
I asked Copilot for a quick summary of the Word of Wisdom:
===
Latter-day Saints (members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints) abstain from alcohol primarily due to a health and spiritual
guideline called the **Word of Wisdom**, which was revealed to church
founder Joseph Smith in 1833 and is recorded in the Doctrine and
Covenants (D&C 89).
### ?? Reasons for Abstaining from Alcohol
**1. Divine Revelation:**
- The Word of Wisdom is considered a revelation from God, not just a set
of health rules.
- It instructs members to avoid alcohol, tobacco, coffee, and tea
(except herbal tea).
**2. Spiritual Clarity and Purity:**
- Abstaining from alcohol is seen as a way to maintain spiritual clarity
and stay close to God.
- Clear-mindedness is emphasized as essential for spiritual growth.
**3. Physical Health:**
- Alcohol is viewed as harmful to the body, and the Word of Wisdom
promotes caring for one's physical well-being.
- Members are encouraged to eat fruits, vegetables, and grains, and to
consume meat sparingly.
**4. Community and Commitment:**
- Following the Word of Wisdom fosters unity and shared values among
members.
- It's also a sign of commitment to the faith and its teachings.
**5. Religious Participation:**
- Adherence to the Word of Wisdom is required for full participation in
church activities, including temple attendance and leadership roles.
### ?? A Lifestyle of Holistic Health
The Word of Wisdom goes beyond abstaining from alcohol-it's a holistic
guide to healthy living. It encourages:
- Gratitude for food
- Moderate consumption of meat
- Regular exercise and sleep
- Avoidance of addictive substances
For many Latter-day Saints, this isn't just about rules-it's about
living a life that honors their beliefs and strengthens their connection
to God.
===
DD> My granny was pretty much a teetotaler. But she kept a jug of
DD> Chriswtian Brothers Brandy in her pantry for making holiday stuff.
DD> Especially the sauce sfor her mas puddings.
That I can understand. Technically, I cannot have any alcohol in any
form due to my health also.
Something for the upcoming holidays. It's a bit carb-heavy with three
cups of sugar but you could work around that.
MMMMM-----------------------LEMON FILLING----------------------------
1 c Sugar
1/4 c Cornstarch
1/4 ts Salt
1 c Water
4 lg Egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 tb Butter
1/2 c Lemon juice
1 tb Finely grated lemon rind
MMMMM------------------------CAKE LAYERS-----------------------------
3 1/2 c Unsifted cake flour
4 ts Baking powder
1/2 ts Salt
2 c Sugar
1 c (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 tb Lemon juice
1 ts Finely grated lemon rind
1 ts Vanilla extract
1 c Milk
7 lg Egg whites
White-Chocolate Snowflakes
-and Frosting
4 3-oz bars white chocolate,
-coarsely chopped
Silver dragees (opt.)
1 1/2 8-oz packages cream
-cheese, softened
1/2 c (1 stick) butter,
-softened
1 tb Lemon juice
White-chocolate snowflakes balance gracefully on a delicate, lemony
three-layer white cake filled with zesty lemon custard and covered
with a white-chocolate frosting.
1. Several hours or day before serving, prepare Lemon Filling: In
2-quart saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt until well
mixed. Gradually add water, stirring until smooth. Heat mixture to
boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly with wire whisk; boil 1
minute (or until mixture thickens). In small bowl, quickly stir some
of hot mixture into egg yolks, then stir egg-yolk mixture into
remaining hot mixture in saucepan until well blended. Reduce heat to
low; add butter and cook mixture for 5 minutes, stirring
occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice and rind. Cool to
room temperature; cover surface of filling with plastic wrap and
refrigerate until filling is completely cold-at least 2 hours.
2. Prepare Cake Layers: Heat oven to 375'F. Grease three 9-inch-round
baking pans. Line bottoms of pans with parchment or, waxed paper;
grease and flour paper. In medium-size bowl, combine flour, baking
powder, and salt.
3. In large bowl, with electric mixer at medium speed, beat 1 3/4 C
sugar and very light and fluffy; beat in lemon juice, lemon rind, and
vanilla. Add flour mixture alternately with milk to butter mixture,
beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating until smooth batter
forms.
4. In another bowl, with clean beaters and mixer at high speed, beat
egg whites and remaining 1/4 C sugar until stiff peaks form. With
rubber spatula, gently fold egg whites into batter. Divide evenly
among prepared pans.
5. Bake 25 minutes, or until cake tester inserted in center comes out
clean. Cool cake layers in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; invert
layers onto wire racks, remove parchment paper and cool layers
completely.
6. Meanwhile, prepare White-Chocolate Snowflakes: In double boiler,
over hot, not boiling, water, or in microwave, melt 1 1/2 bars white
chocolate. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spoon melted
white chocolate into pastry bag fitted with writing tip. Reserve pan
in which white chocolate was melted. Onto foil-lined sheet, pipe
twenty-eight 2-inch snowflakes. Decorate with silver dragees, if
desired. Place sheet of snowflakes in freezer until cake is
completely frosted.
7. Prepare White-Chocolate Frosting: Melt remaining 2 1/2 bars white
chocolate in the same pan; set aside to cool to room temperature. In
large bowl, with electric mixer at medium speed, beat cream cheese
until smooth. Gradually beat in white chocolate, butter, and lemon
juice until frosting is smooth.
8. To assemble cake, with sharp knife, trim tops of cake layers to
make level. Place one cake layer on serving plate; spread with half
of lemon filling; repeat with second cake layer and filling. Place
last cake layer, upside down, on top of filling to complete 3-layer
cake. Frost cake smoothly with White-Chocolate Frosting. Remove
snowflakes from freezer; gently peel snowflakes from foil. Press a
few snowflakes into side of cake; pile remaining on top of cake.
Serve immediately or store in refrigerator.
Country Living/December/92 Scanned & fixed by Di Pahl & <gg>
From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini
MMMMM
-- Sean
... I burned 500 calories at lunch; left a pizza in the oven.
--- MultiMail/Win v0.52
* Origin: Outpost BBS * Johnson City, TN (1:18/200)
