Instructions: Allow a half-cup of white wine to a half-cup of oil, preferably a nut oil such as hazelnut or walnut. (This amount serves four.)

Whisk wine in a small bowl with a teaspoon of your favorite Dijon mustard and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper. Gradually whisk in the oil until the dressing emulsifies and thickens slightly. Add a tablespoonful or two of chopped chives or tarragon and, if you like, a little finely chopped garlic or ginger root.

Be sure to taste and adjust the seasoning of the vinaigrette both before and after it is added to other ingredients.

White-wine marinade for fish and chicken:

Start with a cup of wine, which will nicely moisten three or four chicken breasts or fish fillets. Add a few sprigs of thyme or rosemary, a bay leaf, a sliced onion if you like, even a pinch of saffron for a change of pace. Put the chicken or fish in a resealable plastic bag, pour in the marinade and close the bag tightly so the ingredients are immersed in liquid. Marinate for 30 minutes to 2 hours.

White-wine gravy:
Separate and discard all but about a tablespoon of fat from a roasting or frying pan, leaving the juices. If necessary, cook the juices on top of the stove until dark and caramelized. Add a half to a full cup of wine and boil until it cooks down by at least half, stirring constantly to dissolve the juices. Slow-breaking, sticky bubbles are a good sign, showing the wine has reduced to a glaze.

Then add whatever liquid you prefer, depending on the main ingredient: stock

(veal, chicken, fish or vegetable), milk, cream, even tap water. Bring the gravy to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for a few minutes to allow the flavors to develop, then strain it. Taste and adjust the seasoning - nutmeg, a squeeze of lemon juice, chopped herbs can all be useful here.

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