'A noble nectar'

By Tom Harte

When they signed the Declaration of Independence, the Founding Fathers toasted their accomplishment with it. George Washington drank of a glass of it every night with dinner. Betsy Ross imbibed it while sewing the American flag. The seizure of John Hancock's boatload of it caused riots in Boston, hastening the American Revolution. Truly, sipping a glass of Madeira wine is like time-traveling through American history.

Madeira, a noble nectar that comes from the gorgeous Portuguese island of the same name, about 350 miles west of Morocco, is one of the world's most complex wines. The Madeira Wine Institute describes it as ranging in color from amber to golden and exhibiting a bouquet of vanilla, caramel, curry, dried fruits, figs and cinnamon. No wonder Michael Scaffidi, wine director of the acclaimed Union Square Cafe in New York, recently told Lettie Teague, The Wall Street Journal's wine critic, "Madeira is so much cooler than Port." And no wonder auction prices for vintage Madeiras are climbing. Not long ago, a bottle from 1715 sold at Christie's for almost $27,000.

Ironically, this prized elixir, like so many prized culinary concoctions -- the chocolate chip cookie, the Popsicle and the potato chip among them -- was the result of sheer accident. Back in the 1600s and 1700s, wines often spoiled as they were shipped by sea for long periods. To reduce that hazard, they often were fortified by adding a bit of alcohol to them before they commenced their journey to distant ports, and this was the case with Madeira.

What was not anticipated, however, was the effect the heat and movement of the ships had on bottles of Madeira as they were being transported across the ocean to England and the Americas. It was only after a shipment of unsold Madeira was returned to the island, thus making a round trip, that it was discovered the wine had been virtually transformed by the voyage. What is more, customers seemed to prefer the result, and vinho da road, wines that had made a round trip, became the rage. Ultimately, of course, instead of sending bottles of wine around the world, less costly and more convenient methods for aging the wine with heat were put into practice.

Standing beside a huge barrel of wine at Blandy's winery on the Portuguese island of Madeira, Tom Harte learns that the famous wine of the same name is not only great for cooking, but a superb drinking wine as well.

Lots of people think Madeira is only good for cooking. Frankly, so did I, until a recent visit to Blandy's, the 200-year-old winery on Madeira that is one of the world's premier purveyors of the stuff. There I learned the wine (because unlike Port it can be either dry or sweet) is eminently drinkable, either as an aperitif, with a meal or with dessert. In fact, top-quality Madeira can be dessert all by itself. The wine pairs well with fish, vegetables (particularly mushrooms), soups, meat and poultry, fruits, nuts, chocolate, cheeses and, believe it or not, peanut butter cups.

Even so, it would be a shame not to keep a bottle on hand for flavoring dishes. Even a splash can make all the difference. Just make sure you don't use anything labeled "cooking" Madeira. It has probably been doctored with seasonings and will be far inferior to even the lowest-priced bottle meant for drinking. Otherwise, you can safely assent to the question posed by the classic British comedy duo of Flanders and Swann: "Madeira, m'dear?"

Chicken Scaloppini with Madeira Cream Sauce

This recipe, adapted from "Bon Appetit," illustrates one of the classic uses of Madeira -- deglazing a pan and creating a sauce.

Madeira wine, photographed here on the Portuguese island of the same name is one of the world's most complex wines.

At Blandy's winery on Madeira, prized bottles of the island's namesake wine await use in cooking or as an accompaniment to meals.

• 4 chicken cutlets
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 minced shallot
• 1/4 cup Madeira
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts, toasted

Using a mallet or heaving rolling pin, pound cutlets between sheets of waxed paper to 1/3-inch thickness. Season with salt and pepper. In a heavy skillet, melt butter and oil over medium-high heat and saute cutlets until lightly browned and cooked through, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Remove chicken and keep warm. Add shallot to pan and saute until tender. Pour in Madeira and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Add cream and boil until slightly thickened. Stir in hazelnuts, season with salt and pepper and pour sauce over chicken to serve.