Is cooking with alcohol against the Word of Wisdom?

Question

Dear Gramps,

Do you have information on church authorities speaking about cooking with alcohol? Thank you.

Kristi

Answer

Dear Kristi,

I was unable to locate any mention by the Brethren on cooking with alcohol. Depending on the cooking method, some (but not all) of the alcohol will have evaporated during the cooking process, leaving the flavor of the other ingredients, which depends on the type of alcoholic beverage used.

However, it is probably well to measure the cost of pleasing the palate with some sophisticated flavor. In the first place one must purchase some alcoholic beverage. The amount used in cooking will undoubtedly be a small fraction of the minimum purchase amount. So now we have a bottle of alcoholic beverage left over. What to do with it?? I guess one could put it in an unmarked brown paper bag and hide it in the linen closet. But if it found by children?? Or if no such covert measures were employed and guests were to see the bottle of alcoholic beverage on some shelf?? Well, there would be a little explaining to do. And I can imagine the credulity of some guests. What an opportunity to spread a little dirt about members of the Church!!

We are perhaps faced here with the difference between matters of principle and matters of convenience. In matters of convenience, almost any rationale will do to justify a particular position. However, in matters of principle THERE IS NO COMPROMISE! If we have been told by the Lord not to use alcohol, that should be sufficient. We don’t need to try to rationalize the circumstances under which a violation of the Lord’s word would be acceptable. It would seem to me that the prudent and safe course would be to forego a little of the pleasures of the flesh and adhere without exception and without compromise to matters of principle.

Gramps