Chinese Rice Wine

This is the staple cooking and drinking wine of China, brewed from rice and water and generically called “yellow wine” (廣酒 mandarin: hwang-jyou; Cantonese: wong-jao). A prized variety, and the one I use in cooking, is manufactured as it has been for centuries in the city of Shao-Hsing—south of Hangchou in the central coastal province of Chekiang—and is called Shao-Hsing Wine. The brand I use is Pagoda blue label Shao Hsing Hua Tiao Chiew, the color of the label denoting an alcohol content of 17 percent. The wine itself is deep golden-brown in color, rich in aroma, and tastes pleasantly nutty, sweet, and smooth. If I cannot find this particular brand, I look for either the staple Taiwan brand that comes in a 21-fluid-ounce clear glass bottle with square sides and a black and red Chinese label, or a decidedly good quality dry sherry with a rich aroma and taste.