09-07-2008, 01:17 PM
<i> Taken in part from my book: The Book of Fondues</i>
<br><br>
A fondue party is a really enjoyable way to entertain informally. The preparation is done in advance so that the hostess can relax with her guests, dipping tasty morsels.
<br><br>
There are many types of fondue sets on the market. Each contains a pot, a stand on which the pot rests and a burner for cooking or keeping the food hot at the table. The enameled cast iron or metal pots are suitable for deep fried fondues, but if used for cheese or dessert fondues the heat should be kept low. The earthenware or pottery fondue pots resemble the original Swiss <i>caquelon</i> used for cheese fondues. It is well whaped for swirling foods in cheese, but do not attempt to use them for deep fried fondues. The small fondue pots are used for desserts and the candle burner is adequate to keep the sauce warm. In addition to the fondue set you will need long forks or bamboo skewers to spear the food.
<br><br>
The word fondue comes from the French word <i>fondre</i>, meaning to melt. The traditional Swiss fondue is a delicious mixture of melted Emmentaler and Gruyere cheeses and wine.
<br><br>
Once the cheese fondue is cooked it is placed over the bourner at the table. From then on it must be constantly stirred to brevent burning. This can be done as the guests dip in bresd, vegetables and chunks of cold meat. A curst will form on the bottom of the pot which can be scraped out and divided between the guests at the end.
<br><br>
Other popular fondues use hot vegetable oil to cook the food. Fill the pot a third full with vegetable oil and heat on the stove until it reaches 375°F (190°C), then carefully transfer the pot to the burner on the table. If too much food is added to the oil, the temperature willdrop, so reheating the oil on the stove will be necessary. <br>
At the table each person spears a piece of meat, fish or vegetable with a fondue fork (or bamboo skewer) and places it in the oil until cooked to their taste. You may want to have a plate lined with paper towels available to drain the food on before eating, especially when serving crumbly or batter dipped fondues. All these fondues are served with a variety of sauces and there are many recipes for accompaniaments from which to choose.
<br><br>
The fondue pot is an extremely versatile piece of equipment and lends itself to such dishes Mongolian Hotpot, which uses simmering chicken broth to cook the food. As the food cooks the broth becomes more flavorful and is served as a soup at the end of the meal.
<br><br>
Considering the fact that almost every party you attend winds up with more people in the kitchen hanging out, chatting and eating, why not consider a fondue party for your next casual bash?
<br><br>
You can set up your dining room table, kitchen counters, or kitchen table as the fondue buffet and everyone need not 'migrate' anywhere! You set the mood up for them already and what better way to enjoy your food than casually with friends?
<br><br>
A fondue party is a really enjoyable way to entertain informally. The preparation is done in advance so that the hostess can relax with her guests, dipping tasty morsels.
<br><br>
There are many types of fondue sets on the market. Each contains a pot, a stand on which the pot rests and a burner for cooking or keeping the food hot at the table. The enameled cast iron or metal pots are suitable for deep fried fondues, but if used for cheese or dessert fondues the heat should be kept low. The earthenware or pottery fondue pots resemble the original Swiss <i>caquelon</i> used for cheese fondues. It is well whaped for swirling foods in cheese, but do not attempt to use them for deep fried fondues. The small fondue pots are used for desserts and the candle burner is adequate to keep the sauce warm. In addition to the fondue set you will need long forks or bamboo skewers to spear the food.
<br><br>
The word fondue comes from the French word <i>fondre</i>, meaning to melt. The traditional Swiss fondue is a delicious mixture of melted Emmentaler and Gruyere cheeses and wine.
<br><br>
Once the cheese fondue is cooked it is placed over the bourner at the table. From then on it must be constantly stirred to brevent burning. This can be done as the guests dip in bresd, vegetables and chunks of cold meat. A curst will form on the bottom of the pot which can be scraped out and divided between the guests at the end.
<br><br>
Other popular fondues use hot vegetable oil to cook the food. Fill the pot a third full with vegetable oil and heat on the stove until it reaches 375°F (190°C), then carefully transfer the pot to the burner on the table. If too much food is added to the oil, the temperature willdrop, so reheating the oil on the stove will be necessary. <br>
At the table each person spears a piece of meat, fish or vegetable with a fondue fork (or bamboo skewer) and places it in the oil until cooked to their taste. You may want to have a plate lined with paper towels available to drain the food on before eating, especially when serving crumbly or batter dipped fondues. All these fondues are served with a variety of sauces and there are many recipes for accompaniaments from which to choose.
<br><br>
The fondue pot is an extremely versatile piece of equipment and lends itself to such dishes Mongolian Hotpot, which uses simmering chicken broth to cook the food. As the food cooks the broth becomes more flavorful and is served as a soup at the end of the meal.
<br><br>
Considering the fact that almost every party you attend winds up with more people in the kitchen hanging out, chatting and eating, why not consider a fondue party for your next casual bash?
<br><br>
You can set up your dining room table, kitchen counters, or kitchen table as the fondue buffet and everyone need not 'migrate' anywhere! You set the mood up for them already and what better way to enjoy your food than casually with friends?