Brandy

• Brandy is made from distilled fruit juice or wine. Derived from the Dutch word for “burnt wine,” it offers a fruity, smooth taste that works well in a carrot and ginger soup. Use a fruit brandy, but avoid fruit-flavored brandies -- these are flavored with extracts and not made from distilling the actual fruit.

Cognac

• Cognac is from the brandy family, but this double-distilled, aged variety is a finer alternative. Cognacs are smooth and made from fermented fruit juices or distilled wines. Cognacs might come from grapes, but they offer an oaky, smooth texture and slight sweetness that will enhance the carrots of your soup.

Bourbon

• Bourbon offers your soup a vanilla, caramel and smoky flavor. It works well in carrot soups, especially those with caramelized onions, because it enhances the roasted vegetable flavor without overpowering it.

Cooking

• How much liquor you add to your soup is up to you, but often one shot is more than enough. After adding the liquor, cook the soup for 20 to 30 seconds to allow the alcohol to evaporate. Your soup should be at least 172 degrees Fahrenheit to evaporate the alcohol taste. The amount of alcohol that burns off can vary. According to a study performed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s nutrient data laboratory, 85 percent of alcohol added to a boiling liquid burns off.

Considerations

• Carrot and ginger soup takes well to liquors with apple, grape or vanilla notes. You can substitute with wine, as long as it is a wine that carries on these same flavor profiles. A sauvignon blanc, for example, has the acidity and fruity flavor that pairs well with carrot and ginger. If you forgot to add liquor during cooking, don't add it in later. Your liquor needs ample time to cook off and for the flavors to absorb into the soup. Adding liquor after you're done cooking or tableside might change the flavor of your soup to taste like the liquor and not carrot and ginger.