SC - cognac

[Mark Schuldenfrei]

  Actually, there are spiced wine recipes that call for aqua vite, and 
  recipes for flaming dishes using eau ardent; both are almost certainly
  brandies (i.e. spirits of wine made from grape-based wines), and cognac
  would be a reasonable modern brandy to use.

True.  But I didn't (and don't) know of any recipes that are period, and
that call for cognac specifically.

I agree that brandy is an appropriate thing to use for either aqua vite or
eau ardent (and have a sneaking suspicion that eau is clearer than aqua...
but I don't know why I think that).  But I wouldn't use the (more expensive)
and regionally specific cognac in a recipe, unless perhaps the source of the
recipe was in or near Cognac, France.

Just my take on it...  This is certainly one of those places where one can
do as they best see fit.

	Tibor