Help! Embarrassing Wine Question?

[Jewel]

Thanks for all the help! That said, can I maybe hear from any of the people that actually made this dish and what form of Maderia they used?

I tend to shy away from really sweet wines since I had a Chicken Marsala in a restaurant that was made with Sweet Marsala, and it tasted like Pancake Syrup. With the vanilla and the brown sugar in this dish I'm guessing I should be going for the Sweeter Maderia, but won't that almost make it unbearably sweet? Wouldn't a dry Madeira balance it out a little?

I'm still in a quandry, its now just a different quandry!!! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/confused.gif

[makedah]

Gail,

How long have you kept your Madiera? I am leary of buying wine to cook with because I don't drink it that often and if I don't cook it all up, the taste will go 'off.' Does Madiera have enough alcohol content (being fortified and all) to stay in the cupboard for ages, or should it be refrigerated?

[Gail]

Makedah,

Boy are you asking the wrong person. I'm the one with the can of peaches that were so old, they exploded.
I just ran off to actually taste my Madeira and discovered-- lo and behold!-- I'm onto a brand-new, unopened bottle. I will tell you that the only wine I ever refrigerate is white wine. Opened or otherwise, my reds, sherry, Madeira, Marsala, Port and vermouth sit at room temperature and are used strictly for cooking. I've had all for ages (the only one I seem to go through fairly quickly is the sherry and maybe the vermouth) and so far haven't noticed drastic enough changes where I've felt the need to chuck them. For years, because I had Madeira and not Marsala, I used one for the other with not dramatic results.

Jewel, I have not made this dish, though I have it slated for later in the week. My madeira is probably of the sweeter variety, judging from what I paid for it and the fact that it comes from California rather than Portugal. I believe my last bottle (a different brand) was also leaning more toward sweet, although I wouldn't go so far as to use pancake syrup as an analogy. Offhand, I'm inclined to believe CL probably intended the wine to have a sweeter edge. Drier imported Madeiras, I understand, can be pretty pricey, and I don't think it's been CL's custom to print recipes requiring overly expensive ingredients.

Although I don't know that I'd do it personally, I note that Lorilei had success with this dish using a dry cabernet instead of the madeira. If you're really worried about sweetness (something I think I'd be more inclined to attribute to brown sugar and vanilla anyway), you might run a search in the archives for earlier threads on this recipe and read the comments by Lori and others.

Dunno if I helped at all, but I tried.

Good luck!

[Jewel]

Thanks again Gail! I tried to do a search and only came up with one thread, that was asking about the onions. I haven't even thought about those yet!

I tend to agree that CL probably meant a sweeter variety, but I'm either going to get a middle-sweet variety or chicken out and go with a Cabernet! I'll look for the other threads. Thanks again, and wish me luck!! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[Carrie W]

I don't know if this is too late for you or not, Jewel, but my two cents...

I made this last summer (actually, for our anniversary!), and I think we just used a good merlot instead of the Madeira wine. Partly because we were going to use it in a roasted garlic and red wine risotto to go with the vanilla glazed pork chops, and partly because we were in the mountains of Colorado and didn't want to buy several different bottles of wine. So, my point is that you'd probably do just fine using another wine, if you can't find the Madiera.

Good luck!

[Gail]

Jewel,

I could give you the link to the thread I'm talking about, but methinks you need to practice. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif When you go into the search, you need to click on the window that says "Search Forum/Archive" scroll down to Archive: Archive and look in there. I know there are three other threads there, 'cause I did the same thing earlier.

Good luck with the dish! (and the new search skill) http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[KellyD]

Makedah - Because it's fortified - it will keep for a long time. I have a bottle of port that I know is 2 years old, and I always taste it before I cook with it, but so far it is fine. Normally if a recipe calls for a liquor that I don't drink, I try to buy it in a small bottle - like a pint. But Madeira is one that is hard to buy in a small bottle - so I just buy the cheap stuff, and keep using it until it smells and tastes "off".

[Jewel]

I'm still learning about wines, and cooking with them lately has been a joy, but I'm now staring at a recipe that I'm making for dinner tonight come HECK or high-water, but I'm stumped. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/confused.gif

I want to make the Vanilla Glazed Pork Chops (June 2000) and it calls for 3/4 cup of Madeira wine. I know I've heard of it, but I know for a fact I haven't used it. Is it a sweet or dry wine? I'm going to go try to find this wine today to make this dish, and I have no idea how pricey it is, whether it can be used in other dishes, or whether it's a red, white, or blush?! Can all you wine lovers out there help me please?

[KellyD]

You can't possibly be embarrased about asking a question on this board - there are some of the nicest people I have ever seen! Madeira is a fortified wine that can run the gamut from sweet to dry and light to red - usually sold near the sherry's, ports, etc. in the liquor store. Because it is fortified, I have to buy it in the liquor store - but that depends on where you live. The one I cook with is red and sweet. An inexpensive bottle is fine and it will keep for ages in your pantry.

[jazzcat]

I beleive Madeira is a sweet wine. I would ask for some help in the Liquor store and tell them you will be cooking with it; that way you can get a smaller amount. I've not bought it myself, so I can't offer more help than that. Good Luck
P.S I second what KellyD says, don't be embarassed, everyone is so helpful here!

[This message has been edited by jazzcat (edited 03-26-2001).]

[Gail]

Here's what Epicurious says:

Madeira
[muh-DEER-uh]

Named after the Portuguese-owned island where it's made, Madeira is a distinctive FORTIFIED WINE that's subjected to a lengthy heating process during maturation. It can range in color from pale blond to deep tawny and runs the gamut from quite dry to very sweet. The pale golden Sercial is the lightest, driest Madeira, while the rich, dark Malmsey is the sweetest. Bual and Verdelho are both medium-sweet wines. The flavor of American-made Madeiras cannot compare with that of the Portuguese originals . . . but then they're a fraction of the price. The lighter Madeiras are often served as APÉRITIFS, while the richer, darker Malmsey is perfect for after-dinner sipping. Madeira is also an excellent cooking wine and can be used in both sweet and savory preparations.

That said, I'll confess, Madeira is one of those wines I use but not too terribly much, so mine is probably a cheapie on the sweeter side. Assuming all markets are the same(ha!) it's likely to be found in the area where they keep sherries and ports, and unless you're going to some place which really specializes in wines, you'll probably find it very moderate in price. I've got a few sauces where I use it, and it will show up in dessert recipes as well. Epicurious may have recipe ideas for you, if you're intent upon using it up. If not, take heart, it will probably keep quite a while.