Enjoy cooking with wine, how about baking?

In Europe and the US there is a niche market emerging of wine-based flours to help you bake up Cabernet-licious breads, pastas and brownies.

Marché Noir Foods, a California-based artisanal "secret lab" bakery, sells its flour (283g, $13.95/€9.90) as well as Cabernet wine flour-based brownies or pasta.

On October 12, the company launched a new product, Cabernet rotini ($8.95/€6.35) adding to their line of pastas, brittle and brownies.

Also available in Europe and Canada is Vinifera Grape Powder (400g, C$12/€8.50), gluten-free, Kosher "Canadian Cabernet Wine Grape Skins" flour.

There are healthy green reasons to get drunk on baking with such flours in addition to the taste and wine-stained color.

Wine flour is "high in iron, fiber, and Res-V as well as antioxidants" and a "unique healthful way to enjoy another dimension of winemaking," notes MarcheNoirFoods.com. Plus it "also creates a valuable resource out of something often discarded."

Baking and preparing a spectrum of dishes is possible with wine flour much like other flours. Here are some recipes (Chocolate Cabernet Biscotti, Cabernet Hazelnut Torte, Cabernet Velvet Cupcakes, Pizza Margherita with Wine Flour, Focaccia with Wine Flour, Wild Mushroom & Cabernet Crepes) to download and try: http://www.marchenoirfoods.com/recipes.html and http://www.viniferaforlife.com/purchase.php

Bloggers (Fat girl trapped in a skinny body, Momfluencial, Satisfied, She's Cookin') have also been posting their wine-based creations including: Pumpkin Gorgonzola Ravioli in a Mushroom Cream Sauce, Fig and Smoked Gouda, Cabernet-crusted Chile Rellenos and Cabernet Focaccia with Figs and Gorgonzola.