Conference turris::cooks

                                 Cheese Fondue

                                 -------------





     For 4 people...you really can't make larger amounts in one pot.





     You need a fondue pot.  It should be an enamel pot or a  ceramic  pot.

     A metal pot for meat fondue will certainly not work.





                                  Ingredients:

                                  ------------



     1.  1 pound shredded cheese - 50% emmental 50% gruyere

     2.  1 3/4 cups light dry white wine

     3.  2 level teaspoons liquid corn starch

     4.  1 shot glass kirschwasser or brandy

     5.  pepper and/or paprika to taste

     6.  cubed French or Italian bread, try to get crust on each cube

     7.  a clove or 2 of raw garlic







     Rub the inside of the pot with small (aspirin sized) pieces of  garlic

     to coat the surface.  Leave a couple of small pieces in the pot.  Heat

     the wine in the pot on the stove and mix in the corn starch and  other

     spices.   Bring almost to a boil and add in the shredded cheese SLOWLY

     trying to keep the cheese in a melt (hence the name FONDUE).   If  you

     haven't  added in the brandy or kirschwasser you can do so now (can be

     also mixed in before).   Heat  for  a  minute  or  2  until  it  is  a

     homogeneous mixture.  If it starts to coagulate, it probably means you

     need more heat.  Try not to overheat, of course  -  it  can  bubble  a

     little.   Have a little more cheese around in case it doesn't thicken.

     It shouldn't take more than 15 minutes once you have  all  the  cheese

     melted.





     Serve with dry white wine, not beer soft drinks.  You need the wine in

     your stomach so that the fondue doesn't reform into a block of cheese.

     Finish off with a shot or 2 of kirschwasser or brandy.





     Bon appetit!

A metal pot is not so great for cheese fondue, either.  Anybody
know where to find ceramic ones?  I have seen a French ceramic
set for $75, which I thought was a bit steep.

The variation I use:

Don't put in any corn starch unless the fondue comes out too watery
after you have put in all the cheese.  Then put in just what it takes.

Don't use pepper and paprika. Substitute grated nutmeg, applied at the
last minute, right after the Kirsch, after the cheese is smooth.  A few
stirs to mix in the nutmeg and then take it to the table.

Don't use powdered nutmeg from a box.  Buy whole nutmegs and grate it
yourself.  They are hard like rocks and will last forever.  Keep them
in an airtight bottle.

The recipe I use is heavier on the Kirsch:  to serve 2 people it
has (best I can recall) 250-300g cheese, 4 dl wine, 1 dl Kirsch.

    Ceramic Fondue pots may be purchased from any store that carries
    the DANSK line of Scandanavian cookware. I had one while stationed
    in Germany in the Air Force and it was well used for this very purpose.
    
    There is a DANSK Outlet in North Conway NH if you need an excuse
    for a nice ride this weekend.
    
    /jmp
    

                              <JMP>
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          * THINK SNOW *   -----*---@-  * U.S.A. SKIER *
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                            TELEMARK
    

CHEESE CRABMEAT FONDUE

1 - 16oz. package Velveeta Cheese
2 -  8oz. packages Cream Cheese
1 or 2 cans crabmeat (I think they come in 4-6oz cans)
1 Tbsp. Worceshire Sauce
1/3 Cup White Wine (not too sweet)
Garlic, Salt, Pepper - a dash each

French bread or soft rolls cut in bite size pieces or 
bread sticks.
========================================================
Melt first two ingredients in double boiler till mixed
thoroughly.  Add the rest of the ingredients (amount of
crabmeat depends on how much you want and how much you
have to spend).  Add garlic, salt and peppet to taste.
Serve in Fondue Pot with chunks of French bread, rolls
or bread sticks.

If the mixture is too thick to your liking, you can add
a little more milk or cream.

VARIANCES:  Try shredded or finely chopped lobster or
shrimp.  You could also try those "Sea Legs" that some
supermarkets are coming out with.

    I was wondering if you could substitute another cheese, like cheddar,
    in stead of the Velveeta.  I never was too fond of that stuff. 
    I always wondered what was in it that it didn't have to be
    refridgerated!
    
    Everything else sounds great!!!
    
    AM

Re .1

Careful of the cheddar, it tends to separate and get stringy.  

Personally I think velveeta does not deserve its bad rep.  It's a good cheese 
for melting into sauces, but not for serving on crackers.  I just wish they 
didn't put all that orange food coloring into it!

But, if it still bothers you, try Monterey Jack.  It's another processes 
cheese foodstuff that sounds lots more acceptable.

    I have a similar recipe to this but it calls for 1 stick of Cracker
    Barrel Extra Sharp Cheddar and 1 pack of Kraft Old English cheddar
    cheese slices. I make it for Christmas Eve buffet every year at
    the insistence of my family. 
    
    Debbie
    

    For a quick treat:
    
    Take semi sweet or sweet baking chocolate, nuke it in the micro,
    then dip the strawberries in it.  Works every time.
    
    

    
    Add a little heavy cream to the melted chocolate to thin slightly;
    or add a touch of rum, Grand Marnier or Chambord.  Bananas are fun
    to dip.
    
    Good Luck,
    Barbara

    CANNED CHOCOLATE FROSTING SOFTENED IN THE MICROWAVE.  GREAT!
    
    JUDIE
    
    

    Anyone know where in the Nashua, NH area I can find liquid fuel for
    fondue burners?  I've seen cans of Sterno, but my fondue set needs
    liquid fuel.  I got a bottle once at the Kittery Trading Post (it
    was liquid Sterno, in fact), but would like to try and find a source
    closer to home...
							-- Nina

    If I remember correctly, Sterno is denatured grain alcohol in a gel
    media.  I think my own fondue burner used ordinary denatured grain
    alcohol with a cotton wad media.  (We haven't used it in years.)
    Denatured alcohol is available by the pint, quart, and gallon in the
    paint section of every hardware store. 
    
    If your burner is now dry, then the alcohol will do no harm.  Try
    it; it is safe; if you don't like the result, you can simply let
    it dry out.    Don't let the alcohol spill onto furniture.

Re .5: if your burner is the kind with a little grate inside, covering some
sort of cotton, do use plain denatured alcohol (I think it's methanol, or
"wood alcool") as .6 suggests. 

Re: the discussion about the pot (caquelon):I do think the cast-iron, enameled
(usually orange) ones are better than the ceramic ones; personal experience
shows failures with the ceramic, usually the fondue splits in a block
of cheese and liquid surrounding it; never had the problem with cast-iron
(thermal conductivity?). BTW, I eat 30-40 fondues at least per year.

As .1 said, the last part, the crust which turned light brown, is the best; my
preference is, when there's still a very little amount of melted cheese,
keep the burner on, add one egg, a very small shot of Kirsch, and scratch
the crust, making some sort of scrambled egg, then finish it of with
the bread.

Another idea (delicious) is to fry (in a pan) your bread cubes in some oil
or butter and garlic to a nice golden colour before serving.

Also, what they do in some places (e.g. Jura) is to dip the bread (not
fried, this time) in the Kirsch *before* swirling iinto the cheese.
Watch out, this is dangerous! don't do it with every cube

    
    
      Lightly steamed broccoli, cauliflower, white onions, small pieces
    of fried potato skins for veggies. Small cubes of cooked chicken,
    ham, or pork for meats. Just bread cubes makes for BORING fondue.
    
    
    
     -mike
    

    reply .9: other than bread...
    
    chunks of apples and pears [fresh and crisp, not canned & limp]
    
    cherry tomatoes, broccoli & cauliflower flowerets
    
    not recommended to try: apricot, pineapple, peach
      [I did one night and it was _horrible_]
    
      AnnieJ

    RE: .12
    
     Ah, but if you had tried the fruit with a CHOCOLATE fondue....
    
     Sigh - it's sorta like a religious experience...
    
                                 Ken
    

    Re .9: small potatoes, cooked with their skin, as in raclette side.
    Delicious! (courtesy of Peter SHIRE::Tallon)
    
    John

    
                           BREAD POT FONDUE
    
    
    ONE ROUND LOAF OF FARMERS BREAD(FOUND AT YOUR LOCAL MARKET)
    8 OZ. CREAM CHEESE
    2 CUPS SHREDDED SHARP CHEDDAR CHEESE
    2 CUPS SOUR CREAM
    4 LARGE PEPPERONCINI(SMALL PICKLED PEPPERS FOUND IN THE SPECIALTY
    OR ITALIAN SECTION OF THE MARKET)
    ONE MEDIUM WHITE ONION-CHOPPED FINE
    1/4LB PROSCUITTO HAM(THIS IS VERY EXPENSIVE SO I SOMETIMES
    SUBSTITUTE VIRGINIA BAKED)
    1 TEASPOON WORSTESHIRE SAUCE
    
    
    
    SLICE THE TOP OFF OF THE BREAD AND RESERVE FOR LATER,  REMOVE
    THE INSIDE OF THE BREAD SO THAT ALL YOU HAVE LEFT IS A SHELL.THIS
    BREAD IS VERY FIRM SO YOU ONLY NEED TO LEAVE ABOUT 1/2 INCH OF THE
    SHELL.  SAVE THE UNUSED BREAD TO MAKE CROUTONS FOR THE DIP.  I DO
    THIS BY BREAKING OFF SMALL PIECES OF BREAD, PLACING THEM ON A COOKIE
    SHEET, DRIZZLING OLIVE OIL OVER THEM AND SPRINKLING THEM WITH 
    GARLIC POWDER AND PAPRIKA.  I THEN BAKE THEM FOR 10 OR 15 MINUTES @400
    DEGREES UNTIL GOLDEN BROWN.  DON'T OVERCOOK THEM OR THEY WON'T BE
    CHEWY ON THE INSIDE.
    
    NEXT CREAM THE CHEESES TOGETHER AND THEN ADD THE SOUR CREAM, MIX
    WELL.  ADD THE PEPPERS, ONION, AND HAM, ALL CHOPPED FINE.  LAST
    ADD THE WORSTESHIRE SAUCE AND BLEND ALL WELL.
    
    PLACE THIS DIP INTO THE SHELL OF THE BREAD,(IT IS VERY THICK, BUT
    GETS THINNER WHEN BAKED) AND REPLACE THE TOP OF THE BREAD.  DOUBLE
    WRAP THE BREAD IN ALUMINUM FOIL AND BAKE ON COOKIE SHEET IN A 
    PREHEATED 400 DEGREE OVEN FOR 1 HOUR AND 15 MINUTES.  
    
    REMOVE FROM OVEN, TAKE OF TOP OF BREAD AND STIR BEFORE SERVING.
    THIS IS GREAT WITH FRESH VEGETABLES.  I USUALLY SERVE THIS WITH
    CARROT STICKS, BROCCOLI FLOWERETTES, FRESH MUSHROOMS AND OF COURSE
    THE HOMEMADE CROUTONS.  BELIEVE ME WHEN I SAY THIS DOENS'T LAST
    VERY LONG AT A PARTY, ITS ALWAYS THE FIRST THING TO GO AND EVERYONE
    WANTS THE RECIPE.  ENJOY!!!
    UNTIL GOLDEN BROWN.  DON'T OVERCOOK THEM OR THEY WON'T BE CHEWY.
    
    
    

    I do a version of this Fondue/Bread recipe.
    
    First I cut a circle in the top of a crusty round loaf.  I then
    hollow out the bread trying to be careful to get it out in as big
    pieces as possible.  I "toast" the bread basin in a very low oven
    until it is rock hard.  (You can brush the inside of the bread basin
    with egg white prior to toasting to make it less likely to get soggy
    later when cheese sauce is put into it.)
    
    I make my cheese sauce by melting butter, adding flour, cooking
    a roux.  I then add about 2/3 cups of champagne (cheap, white).  
    Cook this to a thick consistency and I then add several cups of
    shredded cheese (usually a mix of Swiss, Edam, a mild Cheddar).
    To this I add seasonings such as paprika, white pepper, salt, a
    pinch of nutmeg and a dash or two of red pepper sauce.  Cook this
    into a good thick sauce.  Take off the heat and let cool slightly
    with a piece of plastic wrap over the pan so the sauce does not
    form a skin.  When cool whisk about 3/4 cup of the cheese sauce
    into a pint of cream.  Then add the cream/cheese sauce back to the
    cheese sauce.  Whisk it all up well and pour into the bread bowl.
    
    Serve this with the bread you took out of the loaf cubed and other
    bits of bread, veggies or tidbits.
    
    gailann

  My in-laws do a meat fondue where they fill the fondue pot with oil, and
cut up high-quality meat into cubes.  You stick the cube on one of the
fondue forks, and leave it in the oil for a couple of minutes.  They make
up a bunch of different dips. I think one of them is a mix of mayonnaise,
ketchup, and onion.  I think another is a dill dip of some sort.  I think
it's pretty much just let your imagination run wild for sauces.

--Sharon

    Some fondue recipes my mother used are:
    
    1. CHEESE fondue... Take your favorite cheese sauce recipe, mix up a
    	batch, place it into the fondue pot. Cut up pieces of french bread,
    	cooked shrimp, viena sausage (what ever you like with cheese on
    	it). Each person serves themselves... and dips what ever they like
    	into the hot/warm cheese sauce.
    
    2. CHOCOLATE fondue... For a desert, make a chocolate sauce and place
    	it into the fondue pot. For this you can have fruit pieces/chunks
    	such as cherrys, pineapple, banana, etc. Again, each person serves
    	themselves... and dips what ever they like into the warm chocolate
    	sauce.
    
    3. REGULAR fondue... (no name I guess) As stated in re:-.1, this fondue
    	has a HOT oil. You serve raw shrimp, meat (beef, pork, what evr),
    	etc. on a bed of ICE (to keep it fresh). As before, each person 
    	would serve themselves, dipping what ever they like into the HOT
    	oil... then dipping into their favorite sauce.
    
    So, you see, fondue is a very flexable meal that most likely would
    spark quite a bit of conversation while you and your guests wait for
    the food to cook. Cooking takes only a few minutes at most.
    
    Let your emagination run wild... you'll be surprized.!
    
    Bob G.
    

    I used my fondue pot a lot in the 70's but haven't used one lately.  
    I never 'did' the chocolate - tried the cheese only once (so messy
    with strings of cheese all over the sides of the pot that I didn't do
    that again) so cooking meat and seafood was what I used the most.
    
    I do remember that I was told to use peanut oil - I guess it retains
    high temperatures the best and it doesn't break down or splatter as much 
    as a vegetable oil or a 'crisco'....for instance.
    
    I would think that lobster, shrimp, scallops, maco shark, chicken, etc. 
    could be dipped in a batter (i.e. tempura) first and then cooked in the
    oil as well.
    
    I ought to dig my one out and start using it again!
    
    M
    

    1 cup (or 1/4 l) beer
    1/2 cup (1/8 l) dark beer
    1 pound 5 ounces (600g) Cheshire or Chedder cheese
    1 tbsp cornstarch
    2 tbsp (3 cl) water
    1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
    freshly ground pepper
    2 tbsp (3 cl) brandy
    
    In fondue pot, bring beer to a boil, stirring constantly.  Cut cheese
    into cubes and add to beer (a handful at a time), stirring until
    melted.  Mix cornstarch with water until smooth.  Stir into cheese
    mixture with the lemon juice.  Continue cooking until bubbly.  Stir in
    pepper and brandy. 
    This fondue makes a nice snack, especially when served next to the
    fireplace on a snowy afternoon.  Try this with some French bread or 
    crisp veggies such as broccoli and cauliflower.

    
    Hello,
    
    A few ideas more for meat foundue.  To obtain great sauces with
    a minimum amount of work: do a fairly large amount of mayonaise 
    and divide it into in several portions.
    
    To each one add one of the following ingredients:
    
    - Ketchup
    - Clove of garlic finelly minced
    - Parsley (minced)
    - Fresh coriander (the fresh plant, not the dried seed, minced)
    - Port wine
    - Whisky
    - Mustard
    - Anything else you remember...
    
    You'll be surprise to see how different the mayo tastes!
    
    I usually serve meat fondue with fruit: pineaple, peach and pear
    (canned).  Also with a salad: lettuce, tomato, grated raw carrot
    and sweet corn, flavoured with salt, oil and vinegar.
    
    Enjoy it!
    Eduarda
        
                                         

A great dip for a fondue pot is chili con queso.  You can make it the
traditional way, or the easy way.  I have an easy recipe:

Melt equal amounts of Velveeta and Monterey Jack (8 oz.) in the fondue pot.
(It needs to be processed cheese!  Otherwise the stuff clots and curdles.)
Add your favorite salsa (8 oz.).  Mix well.  Serve with tortilla chips.
By the way, the cheese tones down most salsas, so you might want to use a 
hotter variety than normal, or perk it up with hot sauce/tabasco.

Now for the "plus...", you can add:

	crumbled browned beef or sausage
	sliced jalapenos
	sliced olives
	cooked pinto beans
	or refrieds for bean flavor with no bean lumps
	sauteed green pepper, onion, tomato or other chili ingredient

You can also use some veggies for dipping, like broccoli, or celery.

    Instead of using oil, we make a broth from water and herbs.  Into
    this on our fondue forks we put thin slices of beef.  The beef cooks
    very fast (if its thin) and enhances the broth.  After the meat
    is all eaten, whip into the broth an egg and serve in soup bowls.
    A real treat and suprise to your guest or family.

    Well, I'm not the author. but. . .
    
    Velveeta is a processed cheese "food" consists of American, cheddar,
    and a few other cheeses blended with, I think, whey, milk solids,
    and other appetizing stuff (sounds not-so-good when broken down!)
    and sold in large blocks - about 2 lbs each.  
    
    Salsa sauces is a tomatoe-onion-pepper spice type pf sauce that
    is found on this side of the pond in the Mexican section of
    the grocery store - ususally found in jars and sold under
    various brand names.  It is used for dip with corn chips,
    vegetables, etc. or can be used to put on Tacos, burritos,
    and more as a seasoning.
    
    Hope this helps some. . .. 

Yes, .-1 is right.  Sorry I forgot the locale. 

American cheese is cheddar cheese, but it's pasteurized and "processed".  
Monterey Jack is also a cheddar-ish cheese, and it is also "Processed".  I don't
know what the "processing" involves, but it results in a very mild (BLAND)
cheddar, that will melt easily without separating.  This last feature makes it
the cheese of choice for this recipe.  You could substitute a mild cheddar, but
the separation problem gives you a very lumpy result.  I would choose whatever
local cheese melts best in cheese sauces, and perhaps add some shredded cheddar.

The salsa can be made from pureed and chopped tomatoes, onion, garlic, 
cilantro (also known as coriander, or chinese parsley), and chili peppers, 
with a bit of salt.  Puree some of the tomatoes, and chop the rest along the 
the remaining veggies until you get a loose relish consistency.  (Entirely 
liquefied is acceptable, but little chunks are nice.)

This product, while widely available in American markets, was, as of last year 
unavailable over there.  In general, toabsco is not an acceptable alternative, 
but in the con queso, you could use the tobasco and other finely minced veggies.

NIT: 

CHEDDAR cheese is cheese from the Cheddar region of England.

American cheese is American cheese.

(similar argument applies to Champagne and wine made by the champagne method)

/. Ian .\

    One suggestion regarding the hot oil - use Peanut oil.  I guarantee
    it won't splatter and burn anyone.  If you use another oil it might
    'spit' and burn your hand. 
    
    Don't ask me the reasons behind this, except that that's whay my mother 
    always used during her fondue days of the 1960's when fondue was the 
    latest craze.

If you promise not to tell on me....the best cheese base to use for
a fondue [at least when considering meltability, etc.] is ....VELVEETA.
No, stop groaning, I'm serious....you can really make a tasty fondue
with this stuff - after all, it IS cheese and milk all mushed together.
I use the Mexican HOT variety, add chopped onions and jalepenos and
make tiny meatballs for dipping.  All the local Yups love this stuff -
of course, I tell them it's an exotic imported cheese that is "impossible
to find" and very expensive....Hey, we all have little secrets in
our closets, don't we?

    Using a hot broth or hot oil is a good idea.  This is known as a
    Chineese Fire Pot and the Chineese never cook with anything else
    but peanut oil.  The technique goes back thousands of years.
    This type of dining may take several hours to finish, but it is
    a lot of fun for guest and is much more healthy for a person.
    I suggest using a hot broth instead of oil hten serving the broth
    in bowls to the guest with a couple of quail eggs on the side to
    put in the hot broth.  (Eggs are generally available in most oriental
    markets).  And remember to always use long wooden chopsticks, because
    metal utinsels WILL GET HOT after a while.
    Enjoy---Pete. 

RE: .20

Well, the peanut oil tradition doesn't go back thousands of years--it couldn't
because peanuts are a New World plant and thus weren't available in Asia until
the 1500s.  You're right, though, that peanut oil seems to be THE frying oil
of choice among the Chinese these days, although Joyce Chen says in her
cookbook that when she grew up in China, the preferred frying fat was lard.

--PSW

When Consumer Reports rated oils, they rated Hollywood Safflower oil to
have a higher smoke point than peanut, and to have a better balance of fats for
helping to reduce colesterol.  Since then, I haven't used peanut oil.  It's 
more expensive, but it works every bit as good as peanut oil.

RE: .22

>When Consumer Reports rated oils, they rated Hollywood Safflower oil to
>have a higher smoke point than peanut, and to have a better balance of fats for
>helping to reduce colesterol.

That's true, but in my opinion, foods taste better when cooked in peanut oil
than in safflower oil.  "Better" in this case depends on what you're after.


RE: .23

>my wife (half Thai, half Chinese, and a professional chef) uses peanut oil for
>some things, but swears (and I daren't disagree) that you can tell the taint
>it adds to the flavour vis-a-vis pork lard.

This is definitely true.  Lard is a more "neutral" fat (in terms of its adding
less of a flavor of its own to foods) than peanut oil.

--PSW

    We love to fondue and when doing beef fondue we also fix fried cheese
    to do with it.
    
    Cut cheese (I use cheddar) into cubes.  Dip into eggwash, finely
    ground cracker crumbs, egg wash and cracker crumbs.  Stick into
    the fridge and let it get real cold, then spear and fry as you do
    the beef.  The crust gets crispy and the cheese melts inside and
    is really good.
    
    Helen

      1 small clove garlic, halved
    3/4 cup beer (any kind)
      8 ounces Swiss cheese, shredded
      4 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
      1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
      1 loaf French bread (cut into bite size pieces)
    
    1.  Rub inside of heavy saucepan with cut surface of garlic.  Discard
        garlic.  Add beer to pan and heat slowly.  Dust cheeses with
        all-purpose flour.  Add cheese gradually to beer, stirring
        constantly until mixture is thick and bubbly.
    
    2.  To serve, place mixture into fondue pot.  Dip bread pieces into
        cheese mixture.  Makes 6-8 servings.
    
    NOTE:  If mixture is too thick, add warmed beer.