You’re probably too young to remember those Soberano bottles, Terry, Veterano, Carlos III or Torres 5 who were at your parents’ or grandparents’ house and for whom we have so much to thank. And it is that, thanks to these brandies, which are now considered by some to be something old, many of the traditional recipes They have reached a higher level.
And although it is not the only liquor that is frequently used in cooking, there are cognac, vodka or whiskey to confirm it, it does have a very special connection with our recipe book. Especially when we talk about soups, stews, funds or even desserts, such as cakes.
For all this we are going to pay a small tribute to this liquor that is part of our popular culture, something that the residents of Jerez know very well, and that stands out for its great versatility.
With all of you, the brandy
Brandy is a spirit drink obtained from grapes, the wine distillation and the subsequent aging process that it undergoes to achieve this type of charismatic drink. This is something common to the different types of brandy that exist: Armagnac, Italian Brandy and Brandy de Jerez. It is considered a high alcohol content brandywhich oscillates between 36º and 40º.
To investigate its origins, we have to go back to the century XVIsince it seems that it was a Dutch chemist, resident in Cognac, who first came up with, after seeing the great harvest that the Charente region produced that year, the idea of reduce wine volume to reduce storage and transportation costs. And the fact is that this burnt wine (vino adustum) was called by this technician “brandewinj”a term that the English later transformed into “brandy”.
Originally, the distillation of wine was considered as a mechanism that favored conservation and the transport of the drink, but over time they realized that by storing the distilled wine in barrels it was possible to a different product and with characteristics worthy of being appreciated.
In Spain we necessarily have to talk about Brandy de Jerez, although there is also that of Penedés. The first has its own identity, since in the Middle Ages it was easy to recognize the particular aromas given off by the distilleries on the streets of Jerez. But it would not be until XVIII and XIX centuries when the production of spirits for commercial purposes.
At the beginning of the 19th century, in fact, English and French merchants began to arrive in the Jerez area (which includes Sanlúcar de Barrameda and Puerto de Santa María), who, hand in hand with the Spanish, were setting the production and aging criteria for Brandy de Jerez. But it was in 1874 when D. Pedro Jacinto Domecq Loustau produced large quantities of a brandy aged in oak until it was the first Brandy de Jerez “Founder”. However, we owe the Jerez method of criaderas y soleras to D. Juan Vicente Vergara Lasaletta, who launched his brandies “1865” and “Uno, Dos, Tres Racimos” a year later.
Cognac: What is not brandy
Surely you have ever wondered what is the difference between brandy and cognac, since in many recipes it is used interchangeably. The first thing you should know is that only the most expert fans are capable of differentiate between these two drinksso don’t feel bad if you ever get caught.
Both are distillates obtained from the distillation of wine and share many similarities, but they are not exactly the same. In principle, it should be known that, while brandy can be made anywhere in the world, cognac is made exclusively in the French region of Cognacin the west of the country. We can deduce, then, that the second is a variety of the first that is produced in a certain locality and under certain Specific conditions which are those required by the Denomination of Controlled Origin (DOC).
Regarding the production process, which is the other important point where the differences arise, you should know that for brandy you can work with any type of grape (red or white), and even with fruits and cereals that can provide flavors. The drink of Gallic origin, on the other hand, can only be made with white grapes of the Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche and Colombard varietiestypical of the town.
Wait, there’s still more. While brandy can be obtained by any distillation process, cognac must be distilled twice in Charentais type copper stills. And finally, regarding the aging process, the cognac must be aged in oak barrels typical of the area for a minimum of two years. For its part, the brandy is aged in French or American oak barrels for just a few months. Of course, in both cases, liquors of different vintages are mixed -young and old- before moving on to the bottle.
How to use brandy when cooking
Although some will prefer to serve themselves a glass to enjoy the brandy, rather than go into the kitchen to cook, we are going to opt for their gastronomic qualitiessince we generally find it enhancing flavors and providing a different touch to the elaborations.
That said, before getting into the kitchen to cook with this spirituous drink, you should know that it will add a delicate and elegant touch to any dish you decide to add it to. Don’t forget that it’s still a wine, even if it’s well worked.
Next we leave you some techniques that are usually used when working with brandy in the kitchen:
Flambe: It consists of spraying this liquor on food and then setting it on fire and thus enhancing its flavor. It can be done in two ways: flambé a dish while it is cooking or do it once we have brought it to the table. And the objective in both sweet and savory recipes is to provide particular flavor and aromas that could not be achieved in any other way. When using the technique, remember that you first have to heat the alcohol, then incorporate it into the contents of the pan and, ultimately, light it with a match.
Marinade or maceration: This procedure is used mainly when working with meats and again what we pursue is to enhance its taste. If you are going to use it in a salty recipe, such as a meat stew, you should know that the brandy will serve both to give flavor and to soften and provide juiciness to the product.
reductions: With this technique we seek to give body and concentrate the taste of a sauce or broth. And few distillates like brandy so that we can get a cry bottom. Now it is a matter of subjecting the brandy to a slow cooker until we manage to reduce its volume and achieve an interesting density. The result will be a kind of molasses that will be the best accompaniment for your meat, vegetables or dessert.
Recipes with brandy
As you may have imagined, there are thousands of recipes in which brandy can play a determining role. But we are going to make it easy for you by selecting only eight recipes with which you are going to make your guests more than satisfied. Take note!
Roast beef with brandy and mandarins
We will start by preheating the oven to 180 degrees. On a baking sheet, place the onion in thick rings, and place the meat on top with ground pepper, on the other hand, heat the brandy and pour it over it, flaming it. Add the oil and garlic on top and put it in the preheated oven. When the meat begins to brown, salt it on all sides and add the bay leaf, the mandarin juice and the zest, leaving it to roast for an hour and a half and sprinkling it every little bit with the roast juices. Once the meat is done, remove it from the source and wrap it for ten minutes in aluminum foil. We cut it into slices and serve with its sauce.
Link to the recipe | Roast beef with brandy and mandarins
More brandy recipes
In DAP | Cremaet, the carajillo “with garnish” with which the Valencians crown their esmorzaret
In DAP | Reasons why you should give brandy a try: a great drink we don’t know how to sell