Rice wine/Chinese rice wine

An important flavour of Chinese cuisine, it is used extentisively throughout China for cooking and drinking. There are many varieties, the finest believed to be that from Shaoxing in Zhijiang Province in eastern China. It is made from glutinous rice, yeast and spring water. Store it, tightly corked, at room temperature. Good-quality, pale dry sherry can be substituted but cannot equal rice wines rich, mellow taste.