Brain dump - just in case I don't come back (not that I want that to happen). Fondue.

[Tab]

My mother always made a wonderful fondue, we'd often have it either Christmas eve or New Years eve, and rare other occasions during the winter, and I don't mean that red box of swiss crap you get in the store.

I also ate an an Austrian restaurant once that had many kinds of fondues - previously I had only had cheese fondue, but they had meats in consomme, also chocolate (but I can't really deal with that). The meats in consomme were interesting, as was a hot oil fondue, but still nothing really matches a good cheese fondue, imho.

Jean's Fondue: For four

1 clove fresh garlic
1/2 pound of Gruyere and 1/2 pound Swiss cheese grated (long strips
work
best) You can do any combination of cheese you want - all Gruyere will

be sharper - all Swiss - milder.
3 tbsp flour
2 cups dry white wine
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons kirsch or brandy - I have left this out or decreased it
sometimes - up to you (note: I don't recall brandy, just kirsch, sort of a cherry liquor)
Nutmeg, pepper or paprika to taste I tend to use nutmeg and white
pepper - small amounts
2 loaves Italian or French bread, cut in cubes, crust on each cube - I
cube the bread the night before and let them get stale-ish - not hard.

Dredge the cheese with the flour.

Rub the cooking pot with garlic, pour in wine and set over low heat.
Watch carefully - when air bubbles start rising to the surface (but not
to a boil) add the lemon juice, then -

Add the cheese by handfuls, stirring constantly with wooden fork or
spoon until cheese is melty. Add Kirsch and spices, stirring until
blended.

Serve bubbling hot - keep fondue at low simmer.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

1. I went to a retro 60s party and brought fondue.

It was gone in a New York minute. Everyone seems to love fondue. And it's such a fun communal dish.

:hi:

[cbayer]

2. Mine is basically the same.

I use 1/2 gruyere and 1/2 emmentaler, the best I can afford. I toss it with a T. or 2 of cornstarch, instead of flour.

I don't use lemon juice, nutmeg or paprika, but I do add a liquer - kirsch is best.

And I love to have apples, grapes and pears, as well as the bread.

My favorite part is when you get to the bottom of the pot and the cheese starts to crust up. :salivates:

Totally agree with wakemeup. This is the best communal meal and can so easily made on short notice.

Thanks, Tab, for posting this.

:hi:

[Tab]

3. If you really want to make things fun

make a rule that whoever loses their bread in the fondue has to kiss the person to the left (or right). Obviously boy/girl seating (or boy/boy or girl/girl, depending on your preference) is best.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

5. We played that and had a grand ol' time.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

4. I'm flashing back

to my first marriage - 1969 - and all the fondue pots we got as gifts.

That was a fun dish, though, curled up on the floor around a coffee table, all of us drinking chilled Almaden jug Chablis, just making sure we kept the bread coming, scraping the bottom of the pot.

Music, smoke, good friends, peace and love.

Lovely times....................

[pengillian101]

6. Thanks for the memories.........similar to mine.

Lovely times....................

[hippywife]

11. I can relate.

Really miss those days. Sigh. :hi:

[japple]

8. Lovely times indeed....

"Music, smoke, good friends, peace and love" Thanks for making me smile on a cold, cold morning.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

10. And you just made me smile,

here, in the nation's soon-to-be-very-happy capitol, where it's REALLY cold, too, with your sweet comment.

Let's go back to those good times and make them our reality today, how about it? (I don't know about the smoke, but...............)

Thank you.

:toast:

[pengillian101]

7. Hey Tab, hope you are well and good!

Just another thought that we used to do in a fondue pot (one pot among many on the table) was hot oil (I forget what type, sorry, It was heated on the stoveop and then put in fondue pot).

Small pieces of raw steak or seafood dipped into hot oil cooks fast. Yummy among all the other crockpot snacks. Fondue sauces for dipping - wow, cookbooks were made from those, eh?

Best to ya, TAB!

[sazemisery]

12. Peanut oil

Also potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, grape tomatoes, cooked new potatoes. Sauces would include hollandaise, bernaise, and Louis. Spicy mustard. Also tempura batter.

OH, now I'm really hungry!

[hippywife]

13. Now cut that out!

I haven't had a lovely tempura in soooooo long!

[hippywife]

9. Please don't think that way, k?

You are going to have this surgery and bounce back with flying colors. Got that! PM me with info when you get the chance.

Thanx for the recipe. It sounds heavenly. :9

[The empressof all]

14. I second that!

It's scary to have to put your health in the hands of others. I totally understand that. But FWIW my friend I have very good insticts and I'm not getting any vibes you're going anywhere yet. You will feel better again....I know it.

[eleny]

15. I'll third that!

We are pulling for you and will be here when you're up to our foodie-talk.

:hug: