Love ginger...

Sorry my post got sent before I was ready. I ended up using "double dark" soy sauce and what was labeled "light" soy sauce for the marinade and it turned out VERY salty. What did I do wrong?

I think the problem may have been in the soy sauce, as light soy sauce is actually saltier than dark soy sauce. Hope this helps you. Cheers!

You were right but I used "double dark" soy sauce instead of simply "dark" soy sauce wich the recipe called for. "Double dark" packs a whopping 1390 mg. of sodium. Light soy only has 900. No wonder it was salty. Next time I will avoid the "double dark" soy sauce.

After much searching I was unable to find this rice wine. Would a sake do instead? I found Shirakiku salted cooking sake with 3% sodium per tablespoon at the local Asian market, and Hakutsuru Dry Sake with 15% alcohole per volume at the liquor store. Which would be the better choice?

The most commonly recommended substitute for Shaoxing rice wine is a dry, pale sherry. Here is a site that has some good information on Shaoxing Rice Wine. Cheers!

is the recipe asking for whole sichuan peppercorns or grinded?

"To prepare the marinade, toast and grind the Sichuan peppercorns and then grate the ginger." - This is taken from the first line of the recipe method; therefore, you would need to start with whole peppercorns in order to toast and grind them. Cheers!

Finding the peppercorns and rice wine was a challenge in itself, and it looks like while I was at (one of the 4) asian markets I should have picked up my soy sauce from there. I got LaChoy regular soy sauce and LaChoy lite soy sauce, which I think is different from "light" soy sauce and it came out a little salty.

I was a little hesitant about the prep time, but it actually works out very nicely if you have other things to do since most of the prep is passive. I put mine over jasmine rice flavored with a bit of lemon, butter, and soy (from the rice cooking lesson) and used some of the reserve marinade to make sauce.

It came out great and I look forward to making it again, as well as more Rouxbe recipes!

I am preparing a meal for some friends that are in recovery; I'm advised it is best not to even cook with alcohol because sometimes it can be detected. My Chinese recipes call for so little I'm not sure if it is really a concern, but I would like to honor them by using something else, if possible. Sherry is not a good option in this case. Any other ideas?

You may want to just leave it out or add a touch of rice vinegar. Here is a great site for food substitutions that may help. Cheers!