There are several reasons why some cooks choose to cook without alcohol–health, pregnancy, religion, cost, taste, etc. Luckily, there are a few outstanding options out there for those who fall into this category. Two Bay Area wineries (Sutter Home/Fré & Ariel) make fantastic de-alcoholized wines, and you can find both of these locally at Harmons and Granatos ($8 per bottle). These are true wines with the alcohol removed in a final step. A sommelier would likely tell you that a de-alcoholized wine is a little saltier than a conventional wine; but, adding a pinch of sugar should solve that issue in a jiffy.
If this option doesn’t work for you, then head to Jamie Oliver’s site for some tips on alcohol substitutions. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to print out the list of substitutions to keep on hand for quick reference. Or, give a hand-crafted, premium grape juice a try instead. It tastes amazing and often ends up being as popular, or even more popular, than regular wines during tastings. You can find varietal grape juice here. Bonus: they ship



Thanks for the great ideas, I was just thinking about this today actually. I also wanted to point out to the admins that Manhattan is spelled wrong with the clam chowder pic in the right sidebar…but boy does that soup look good
We’re huge fans (and consumers) of Navarro juice. My parents have had it as special occasion a standby for over 15 years and my husband and I naturally assumed the same tradition. Its our guilty pleasure for sure. Since they ship by the case, its great to keep extra bottles on hand for hostess gifts and other unexpected tokens of appreciation. I can’t recommend Navarro juice enough. With outstanding flavor and texture, all three varieties have a permanent place in our home!