I think cheese, as is, is a reason for living. My mom's recipe for cheese fondue is one of my favorite ways to have cheese... so you can imagine how I must feel about the stuff.
There are many different recipes for fondue out there, but even though I keep telling myself I'm going to try some of those someday, when it comes time for fondue, I really only want the same exact stuff that I already know I love. I've always made it the same exact way my mom always has, and it is so simple, and so very good.
My mom's recipe calls for just a few simple ingredients: A little white wine (cheaper wine is actually better), a little garlic powder, one part (natural) swiss cheese, and two parts brick cheese (or muenster). Heat the wine and garlic, slowly stir in cubes of the cheeses, toast some cubes of french bread, and you're done.
The only difficult thing about fondue is that, in general, to serve it properly, you have to have a decent fondue pot, for it to stay heated as it's served. But, if you don't have anyone to impress, you can just serve it from your stove in the kitchen. That's what I do if I just want to make a very small batch for myself. A few pieces of bread, stir up the fondue... best snack ever.
Laur: I've got to get your tips on this one. I love it, too. I only tried to make it once, and I screwed it up somehow. For the last couple yrs, Tim and I have stayed in on our anniversary and had a nice late dinner together after we put Toby to bed. 2 yrs ago we had steak w/ bernaise and then last yr a shrimp boil. This yr, we want to do fondue. So give me any tips - I think I screwed up the cheese melting. Maybe too hot? Did you do it on a pot on the stove and then transfer to fondue pot?
ReplyDeleteI don't know exactly how yours didn't work but I can tell you in more detail what I do.
ReplyDeleteYes, I always have heated it on the stove. I start with just a little wine, because you can always add more. Cheap wine works best. Sutter Home Chenin Blanc works fine and is only a few dollars. Heat the wine a little, not boiling or anything, add a little garlic powder, and then start putting the cheese in a little at a time. Smaller cubes will work a little easier. Stir almost constantly. I like to use a wooden spoon, or a plastic one, not metal. Heat on only low or medium-low heat. Going slow, low heat, a little cheese at a time, works best. It takes a while to get it all melted together, so it's just a matter of being patient and a whole lot of stirring.
Mom's recipe says you can substitute either monterey jack or muenster, but I think monterey jack doesn't work as well as the muenster. Also, buy cheese that says "natural" on it, and not pre-shredded or pre-sliced; they'll often have chemicals on them that aren't good for melting.
If you are going to transfer to a fondue pot, light the pot's flame just before adding the cheese. I have had a hard time finding a fondue pot that actually keeps the pot at the right temperature for the cheese, so one not-as-formal option is to use a hot plate at the table with the cooking pot you made it in.
A tip Mom always says is to cut the french bread so that some crust is on each piece, so you have some crust to pierce with your fondue fork, so that you don't lose your bread in the cheese. And when you dip, use the bread to stir the fondue a little.
This was probably way too detailed, but I figured i'd lay it all out there. I hope this helps! Mom may have some tips, too.
Ha! My comment was longer than my blog post. Probably unnecessary detail, but I didn't know what would be helpful.
ReplyDeleteThanks - that helps a lot. PS: I think I am an official Lairdriin Food Blog junkie.
ReplyDeleteHaha! Awesome.
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