Brandy instead of cognac

[HelperGuy]

Making coq au vin today with red wine, after experiencing Laurent's coq with white wine... which was tasty, but not right. It's a Julia Child recipe and calls for cognac at one point for flambeing. I don't drink, but I do keep brandy in the house. Rather than spring for a bottle of cognac that I otherwise won't use, would I notice much/any difference using the brandy?

[fleming2]

Cognac is a regional name for brandy from the Cognac region. Difference in quality probably not discernible after cooking. To many people the Cognac is superior in quality, for imbibing this is probably true, it is after all, very subjective. Enjoy.

[HelperGuy]

Why didn't I remember that? I've been a "non-cook" for too many years since coming here. Thanks.

[tomgates]

Brandy would do just fine.

[HelperGuy]

I used the brandy, and it was great. I use red wine in my spaghetti sauce, but I discovered some time ago that when I'm out of red wine, any booze will do. Hmmm, how alcoholic of me.

[Studio del Sol]

Once the alcohol is flamed out, the taste of the brandy is what counts. Personally, I wouldn't waste cognac in cooking.

[fleming2]

I drink Remy Martin and cook with EJ Gallo

[Guest RevImmigrant]

Carlo Rossi is good for cooking too; I usually use the white. For Asian I get the cooking sake at Toyo and it works just fine.

[alexsgroi]

Making coq au vin today with red wine, after experiencing Laurent's coq with white wine... which was tasty, but not right. It's a Julia Child recipe and calls for cognac at one point for flambeing. I don't drink, but I do keep brandy in the house. Rather than spring for a bottle of cognac that I otherwise won't use, would I notice much/any difference using the brandy?

Coq au vin must be done with red wine. One can use whatever he/she wants but it is not correct. Brandy id OK

[jkgourmet]

Coq au vin must be done with red wine. One can use whatever he/she wants but it is not correct. Brandy id OK

In fact, as HelperGuy said, Julia Child's recipe includes both red wine AND cognac (brandy).

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/saras-secrets/chicken-in-red-wine-with-onions-mushrooms-and-bacon-coq-au-vin-recipe/index.html

[Atlas]

Not correct by what standard? Where the rules recorded and who's the judge? Does using white wine break some culinary law or simply tradition? Apparently not.

This from the web: While the wine is typically Burgundy wine,^[1] many regions of France have variants of coq au vin using the local wine, such as coq au vin jaune (Jura), coq au Riesling (Alsace), coq au Champagne, and so on.

So, if you're going to be absolutely correct you'd need a bottle of French Burgundy or failing that, a bottle of Pinot Noir.

[RVGRINGO]

Rachel Ray and Emeril Lagasse just did a show making a coq au vin with white wine. Looked so good I could almost smell it.

[Marley's Ghost]

Of course Coq au Vin​ is ubiquitous, with thousands of different variations, being essentially a chicken fricassee made with wine. To be true to the name, one would need an old rooster to really make an authentic Coq. My copy of Laurosse Gstronomique has a plethora of entries including Coq au Chamtertain, interesting if one has the several hundreds of dollars for a bottle of Chambertain.

Still, Rachel Ray as opposed to Julia?

[HelperGuy]

Ask any chef, and they will tell you that it is first a red wine dish. Thumbs up, Marley's Ghost and barbarossa.