Fondue!

[Jad]

I'm getting a fondue pot for my birthday - hooray!

So what's the secret to a good fondue? The only time I've ever had it at someone's home it was a little-bit-of-this-and-little-more-of-that kind of affair. But I didn't really learn the "technique" behind how much of everything she added.

Recipes are always good, too, if anyone has any favorites.

[Marie]

www.epicurious.com has a lot of fondue recipes. I'd say the secret is good cheese - don't skimp and get the cheap stuff. Ditto with chocolate fondue - get the really good kind. Other than that it is really easy - the recipes are simple - just dump in the ingredients, melt over low heat on the stove and pour into fondue pot.

Also, hosting a fondue party - even a small one - takes a LOT of little plates. I have no idea why but it just does. Before we do it again we're hitting Ikea or something for a bunch of small white plates. Just be warned. :p

[apoppy]

I love fondue! I will ditto Marie and say that good ingredients are key. You aren't working with a lot, so you want everything to be the best you can afford.

You can find just about everything you need to know at Gourmet Sleuth (http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/fondue.htm).

We like their recipe (http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/cheesefondue.htm) for traditional fondue (I believe it is originally from Gourmet magazine):

1 garlic clove, halved crosswise
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons kirsch (we use water)
1/2 lb Emmental cheese, coarsely grated (2 cups)
1/2 lb Gruyère, coarsely grated (2 cups)

Rub inside of a 4-quart heavy pot with cut sides of garlic, then discard garlic. Add wine to pot and bring just to a simmer over moderate heat.

Stir together cornstarch and kirsch/water in a measuring cup.

Gradually add cheese to pot and cook, stirring constantly in a zigzag pattern (not a circular motion) to prevent cheese from balling up, until cheese is just melted and creamy (do not let boil). Stir cornstarch mixture again and stir into fondue. Bring fondue to a simmer and cook, stirring, until thickened, 5 to 8 minutes.

Tips:
* You can make this directly in an electric fondue pot, or make it on the stove and then transfer into a fondue pot heated by flame
* Use bread that is firm but not too crusty, cut into 1- to 2- chunks. It can be nice to have a few contrasting flavors of bread
* Other dippers can be any kind of vegtable you like; we use broccoli and red pepper
* Fruit makes a nice accompaniment to cut the heaviness of the cheese

[Marie]

Guess I should have mentioned what to have on hand for dipping! LOL.

For cheese:
Various breads - solid ones not all fluffy
Apples go really well with cheese - especially tart ones

For meats:
lean beef, chicken, shrimp all work really well. Make sure they are bite sized and you have separate plates/utensils for raw and cooked.

For chocolate:
pound cake
fruit: bananas, strawberries, pineapple all work really well
angel food cake

Enjoy!

[singerwife]

Just a note to add that if you have the option (and you may not), individual fondue pots are the way to go.

I know this sounds silly, but I get really skeeved out thinking that I'm dunking my fondue fork into a pot of cheese that someone else's fork with a wet mouth/greasy fingers touched. Just the thought of loose mouth chum in cheese or chocolate touches my gag reflex.

BUT...that said, I do appreciate tasty fondue. Some grocery store delis actually have fondue cheese sauce. I'd also recommend warm olive oil with salt/pepper and fresh foccacia bread chunks.

Also, you can cut up brownie chunks for the chocolate fondue. Yum.

[IrisHope]

Happy Birthday Jad! :)

[Marie]

Just a note to add that if you have the option (and you may not), individual fondue pots are the way to go.

I know this sounds silly, but I get really skeeved out thinking that I'm dunking my fondue fork into a pot of cheese that someone else's fork with a wet mouth/greasy fingers touched. Just the thought of loose mouth chum in cheese or chocolate touches my gag reflex.


That's why you are supposed to have one set of skewers for dipping. Then you are supposed to transfer the food onto your individual plate, use a fork to eat the food while stabbing a fresh piece of food with the skewer.

Skewer = communal pot and communal plate of fresh food
Fork = individual plate for cooked/dipped food

Especially important when cooking raw meat.

[singerwife]

That's why you are supposed to have one set of skewers for dipping. Then you are supposed to transfer the food onto your individual plate, use a fork to eat the food while stabbing a fresh piece of food with the skewer.

Skewer = communal pot and communal plate of fresh food
Fork = individual plate for cooked/dipped food

Especially important when cooking raw meat.

Hmm. I think I've been doing it wrong! I've only ever been to two fondue parties, and while the meat was done that way (communal skewer, individual fork)...the other items were all little ramekin sized individual pots with color-coded mini forks. We each had a cheese, oil/butter, and chocolate version.

This new information completely changes my perception!

[mrsfromage]

try marshmallows with the chocolate fondue! yum!

[ManteoChik]

We were given a Fondu set as a gift last year and like idiots we took it out of the box but forgot to keep the box. We want to try and use it tonight, however, we aren't sure if our Fondue is for Oil (like meets, chicken, ect), or if it's for Cheese, or if its for chocolate and caramel. Is there anyway to find out? I've tried to look up our Fondue kit online and can't find it anywhere.

This one is very similar:
http://www.cooking.com.edgesuite.net/images/products/Enlarge/222515e.jpg

Also, the part at the bottom which I assume holds the heating device.....what do we use? I have never used a Fondu set before and I'm not sure what we'd put in there in order to heat the stuff. Any advice?

[KarenS]

Fondue pots are not specifically for a certain type of fondue. A fondue pot is a fondue pot. You can put whatever you want in it. If you want to do oil cooking, you can. If you want to do broth cooking, you can do that too. Or if you want to do just cheese or just dessert, that's great. They'll all work.

The part in the bottom is a place for a Sterno can. They look like this:
http://www.sterno.com/sterno/sterno_retail/images/sterno_retail_new_look_300.jpg
and you can get them at any grocery store or place like Target or WalMart. Some places carry them in the regular kitchen area and some in the camping or cooking out area.

There's a thread here earlier that has a lot of yummy fondue recipes in it .. you might do a search. For clarity and to help you with your search, fondue is the *food* that goes in the pot or the method of cooking, and the device is a fondue pot! :)

Karen

[ladybug777]

There is a chain of restuarants that specialize in fondue. Try www.meltingpot.com You can look at their menus and get an idea for some meals. Hope that helps.

[KarenS]

Mmmm. Melting Pot. Sometimes we go just to get the cheese and chocolate! :)

Karen

[ManteoChik]

Thanks ladies....that helps *a lot*. I've done Fondue at a friends house but its been a few years and I've never atempted it myself.

[framboise]

Just bumping this up because I think we're having a fondue party for New Year's Eve!! :D We got a fondue pot as a shower gift so this seems like a great time to break it out. I have a handful of recipes (mostly from foodnetwork.com) saved to look at tonight, but any tried and true favorites would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[kwsu44]

This is my tried and true cheese fondue recipe.

I usually serve it with bread, carrots, cauliflower, potatoes, broccoli and apples.

2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese
1 tablespoon flour
1 12 oz dark beer (like Sam Adams)
2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

combine cheeses and flour in a bowl. add beer to pot and bring to a bubble over medium heat. reduce the heat and add cheeses in handfuls, stirring constantly (you may need to add more cheese depending on how thick you'd like the fondue) add mustards and worcestershire sauce

transfer to a warmed fondue pot and serve with bread and blanched vegetables.

[ash313]

Anyone have any recipes for meat fondue? We've only done cheese and chocolate ones. Looks like we'll be doing fondue for NYE and I'd like to try something new.

[Chelsea524]

I was just thinking of bumping this thread up a couple days ago. Also looking for some good recipes for meat fondue. We just got a fondue pot for Christmas, got an electric one, anyone know if I can just cook it in that rather than cooking it in a pot and then having to transfer to a warm one? My mom got us the electric one for that reason, but she wasn't positive if it would work or not.

[framboise]

I'm planning on including a meat course in our NYE fondue party. I still have to read the instructions on our pot to figure out exactly how it works, but ingredient wise, my plan was vegetable broth with garlic & a few spices kinda making it up as I go along really (should I be crossing my fingers? haha). As far as the meats, I think I'll go with a lean beef, chicken, shrimp as well as maybe diced potatoes and broccoli. I'm also planning on having a few dips. Probably something like a BBQ sauce, an Asian something, and creamy herb one. Those will be determiend by what's already in the fridge and what's at Trader Joe's when I stop by after work today!

[numberlady]

We have a fondue set that we got for our wedding over 4 years ago and have never used it. It would be fun to do for New Years. I will check out some of the websites for recipes.

[Lindsan]

When we have meat fondue we simply use coconut fat that is melted in the actual pot (we have a burner underneath) and then dip the meat in there. Instead of using broth, which IMO boils the meat rather than sauté it like fat or oil does, for flavour we have a bunch of really good sauces to go with it. My favourites are curry/banana, garlic, bearnaise, barbecue and red wine sauce. It's fattening but really good! We usually also serve it with pommes croquettes and a salad.

[Pine Tree]

For meat we either do a pot of vegetable oil OR (our new favourite) low sodium beef broth with a splash of soy sauce, a splash of lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon or so 5 spice powder three garlic cloves halved and a few pieces of ginger. Then we use thinly sliced beef. After everyone is done we add broken up rice noodles, sliced mushrooms and sliced green onions to the pot, cook for a few minutes until the rice noodles are done and then serve it as soup (remove the garlic and ginger). A great way to end.

[vwinkel]

When I fondue I have an electric fondue pot that heats the peanut oil (won't smoke). This is what we use to cook our meat and veggies. I buy the Chuck Wagon Onion Ring batter mix. I put this in a medium sized bowl.
http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:lieHMvI9WGi4QM:http://img.shopping.com/images1/di/4d/39/77/6e/72/797a755f736a5874336670393461424b41-100x100.jpg

For the steak, we normally marinate it in 1/4 cup worchestshire, 1/4 cup soy, 1/4 cup brown sugar, Tbsp. garlic.

We then put out the variety: Shrimp (already cooked, but can be breaded with the batter), Steak, Mushrooms (to be battered), Onions, Califlower, and other veggies if we want. I even batter the meat when I cook it. I know sounds artery clogging and disgusting, but it is so good.

This is all served with a series of dips (including cocktail sauce). In addition, we have a cheese recipe (also in an electric pot) served with chunks of french bread.

Now I'm really craving fondue. . .

[tgal]

Just bumping up to read. I'm having a fondue party at my house tomorrow evening and need some info on meat fondue. I lived in Switzerland and know the cheese fondue, but none of the others.

I am sure this is way late, but answering the question from the first page. The swiss never use metal pots for cheese fondue. IMO, it doesn't matter, who wants several different fondue pots laying around their house. Use what you have!

If anyone has specific recipes they recommend for dipping sauces, I would really apprecite the info. TIA

[jeepgirl]

Bumping up this thread. I'm wanting to get a fondue pot with one of the Target gift cards we got for our wedding! Yum!!!

[SweetRed]

This is my favorite cheese fondue, and it is very, very similar to the Traditional Swiss they serve at The Melting Pot. I believe this originally came from Gourmet Magazine many years ago:

Garlic Cheese Fondue

1 pound Swiss cheese, grated
1/2 Gruyère cheese, grated
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 1/4 cups (about) dry white wine
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 1-pound crusty French bread or sourdough bread, cut into 1 1/2-inch
cubes

Combine both cheeses, flour, nutmeg, and white pepper in large bowl; toss to coat. Bring 1 cup wine and garlic to simmer in a heavy large saucepan over low heat. Add cheese mixture by handfuls, whisking until melted and smooth after each addition. Mix in more wine by tablespoonfuls to reach desired consistancy. Transfer to fondue pot.
Set fondue over candle or canned heat. Serve fondue with bread.


I never use a separate saucepan. Always make it right in the pot.

And just for fun, my fondue pot is from 1971. Mom got two at her bridal shower and forgot to return one. She kept the Harvest Gold one, and I got the Avocado Green. I even have the attached card from my great aunt. :)

[jeepgirl]

And just for fun, my fondue pot is from 1971. Mom got two at her bridal shower and forgot to return one. She kept the Harvest Gold one, and I got the Avocado Green. I even have the attached card from my great aunt. :)

That is SO cool!

[KrissyCat7]

Im going to try this later this week.

Seafood Fondue

1 lb. processed cheese food - cubed
1/2 cup milk - low-fat okay
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 lobster tail - broiled
1/4 lb. crawfish tail meat - broiled
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 Tbsp. fresh minced parsley

When ready to serve, garnish with red bell pepper and parsley.

Dip torn pieces of French or Italian bread in fondue.