Cooking with alcohol, question of feeling!
July 11, 2017
Need tips for cooking with alcohol? No need to take expert cooking or mixology lessons! Marise Hunter chef of the resto-beers Le Thymbré in Nicolet, gives this simple tips : follow your feeling and go ahead with a "trial and error" style!
Interview with Marise Hunter.
What is your experience with cooking? With alcohol cooking?
I've debuted at the Nord-Ouest Café in 2000, specialized in alcoholic drinks. I really enjoyed it since alcohol gaves more value and a lot of flavours to foods. It's different and I love to do things differently!
How do we cook meats and vegetables with alcohol?
It depends! With vegetables, I go with white wine usually. With meats, it's as well as beers than stronger drinks like porto, cognac, Jack Daniel's... I always say to improvise, to go with the "trial and error" method. It's how I work and it works well! 
What are the basics to « improvise » well?
In recipes, we can replace broth with alcohol, with the same amount, but it can also be half. it depends of your taste (and always trial and error!) :
- For white meat, I suggest white wine or any other type of white alcohol.
- With leeks, a white beer or white wine.
- We can replace beef broth with red wine.
- Apple juice can be change with ice or apples cider or still a Grand Marnier.
It's small fruits time! How can we enhance flavours of our favorites berries with alcohol?
I really appreciate the Abricot Brandy with strawberries and raspberries, or with fruits salad. The Fragoli, a strawberries liquor, also gives out a plus. It's the same aesthetic! We can dare a porto, but since it's really dark, we have to be careful not to pour too much and undo it's color. With blueberries, I think Vodka, but it may change with different recipes. For exemple, we make our blueberries creme brulee with Sortilège (a maple drinks), or even Baileys. It's a winning formula! 
And if we think about leeks and asparagus? What's your favorite?
A vinaigrette with Limoncello (a lemon liquor) or white beer with hollandaise sauce to coat leeks or asparagus. 
What alcohol should we always have under the hands for cooking?
White wine or beer!
For BBQ, what's your advice?
I suggest marinades with Jack Daniel's or cognac : simply add your alcohol in marinades or ingredients. Don't be shy if you wan't to make mixes with alcohol!
What distinguishes the resto Le Thymbré?
We're bold! And the daily menu change each weeks. For exemple, for the week of the 10 to 14 July, we serves a Mac n' Cheese with beer, a white wine chicken curry, a perch with tequila mayo, etc. About 75 % of our menu has achohol, but we also have non alcoholic plates for people who don't like it. Furthermore, I created Bubble tea made with drinks. We're also going to have a new menu in Autumn. Meanwhile, people can always taste our classics, 7 days 7! 
Le Thymbré is located at 157, Curé-Brassard in Nicolet.
Do you feel inspired?
Here some of our Complètement poireau recipes with alcohol!
