I'm beginning to work through a Neil Perry cookbook of Asian food. Virtually every single Chinese-style recipe includes shaoxing (Chinese rice wine). I found a bottle today in the supermarket and opened it. It tastes like bad cooking sherry. Anyway, my question is: do I need to keep it in the fridge? Or is it OK at room temperature?

And in a similar vein, is chinkiang vinegar (which I also bought today) OK to keep at room temperature. (Also tastes pretty foul.)

Thanks.

Both ok to leave out. Bacteria won't grow in alcohol or vinegar.

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I was wondering about that as well. My bottle of Shaoxing cooking wine had no expiry date on it either so I don't know how long it will last. The manufacturers were unhelpful when I contacted them. They claimed it wasn't a foodstuff so by law didn't require an expiry date. Just as long as it doesn't degrade to methanol, hopefully it will be ok. I've got a recipe for drunken chicken I want to use it for.

Mine says it's 17% alcohol, so about the same as port. Should be OK on the side for a few weeks like port.

Mind you, it tastes pretty dreadful on its own, so I'm not sure I'd notice if it had gone off.