Peggy Trowbridge, author of 'Your Guide To Home Cooking' says that this is because alcohol delivers a desired chemical reaction, provided one knows which kind of alcohol will be the perfect partner to what dish.

When cooking with alcohol your main aim is to reduce the alcohol burn-off (the amount of alcohol that remains in the dish) by paying careful attention to the cooking process and the cooking time.

When cooking a sauce that has wine as its main ingredient, James Peterson writes in his 'Sauces' cookbook that one needs to cook a sauce for at least 20 to 30 seconds after adding the wine to allow the alcohol to evaporate at the desired rate.

Here are a few more tips to bear in mind when cooking with alcohol:

? To help burn off more alcohol when using it for flamed dishes it's wise to warm the liquor before adding to the hot ingredients and then use a long match or lighter to ignite it.

? Always tilt the pan away from you when igniting, and blow the flames out after a few seconds.

? The liquor should be added at the very last moment and lit as quickly as possible to prevent it from soaking into the food.

? Let the alcohol burn off enough so its flavour does not overpower the dish.

? When using milk or cream in a sauce containing alcohol, be sure to burn off the alcohol before adding the cream, otherwise the sauce may curdle.

? Experts suggest that you should always cook with a wine that you would normally drink.

? Never buy wines that say "cooking wine"; they give the dish an inferior taste and the end result could be a lot different from what was intended.

? If a recipe calls for dry red wine, your best choice would be a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Merlot or even a Pinot Noir.

? If you cook with a premium wine, don't simmer the wine for too long. Instead, cook it slowly and don't let it boil ? this will preserve a fair amount of its flavour.

? Never add wine to a dish just before serving. It should always simmer with the food or sauce, to enhance its flavour.

US food producer Hormel Foods has come up with a list for pairing wines with the preferred food types:

Young, full bodied red wine
Red meat, red meat dishes

Young, full bodied, robust red wine
Red sauces

Earthy red, full bodied red wine
Soups with root vegetables and/or beef stock

Dry white wine or dry fortified wine
Fish/shellfish/seafood, poultry, pork, veal

Dry white wine or dry fortified wine
Light/cream sauces

Crisp, dry white wine
Seafood soups, bouillabaisse

Sweet white wine or sweet fortified wine
Sweet desserts

Dry, fortified wine (i.e. sherry)
Poultry, vegetable soups