# Confused about Fondue



## lindsayanng (Jan 17, 2009)

Hi everyone.. i am VERY VERY new here. Actually, i'm new to the whole "home making" and "entertaining" thing. I am 26 years old and have been married for a year and bought our house 1 year ago. We (my husband and i) Have spent the past year getting the house up to where we want it. We have re-built a kitchen, moved walls, and all that stuff, MAINLY so we can start having people over. Before our house, we lived in a one room apartment that was smaller than most people's garages. 

So my husband is out of town for the weekend and I figured its a perfect opportunity for a small girls night get together. 

I got a fondue pot for X-mas and have a mini crock pot which i read is good for fondue, but i am REALLY cofused.. 

I had made fondue once about 2 weeks ago with my fondue pot. the recipe was cheddar cheese, mustard powder, 1/2 bottle of beer, and some other things.. it tasted ok, but i always expected fondue to be more "creamy" this fondue seemed like it was.. well, its hard to describe.. but ya know when you melt cheddar and it separated and you get the oil and the cheese? It was like that, but it was like the liquid beer mixed with the oil, and the cheese and other ingredients were.. well, "granular?" i guess is the best way to describe it..

I just guess i thought fondue was more like Nacho Cheese Dip but BETTER.. Am i wrong??

Does anyone have a GOOD FONDUE RECIPE that is creamy?? ANY suggestions are GREATLY appreciated.. the ladies (mom, sister, cousin her GF, and best friend from when i was little) are coming over on SUNDAY!!!!


I will be making TWO cheese fondues, so i figure i will try my mom's recipe for Welsch Rabbit/Rarebit and a creamier one..

THANKS!!!!


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## mcnerd (Jan 17, 2009)

I haven't done a Fondue since the 70's and back then it could be 'anything' one would dip food into, including just oil.  You can search the Internet for recipes.  What you dip could be bread, meat, fruit (like into chocolate), etc.  Imagination perhaps is in order.

Here's a sample chicken one that might work for a party:

*Chicken Fondue
*
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves.
40 oz of chicken broth.
12 oz of chili sauce.
½ cup of mayonnaise.
1 tablespoon of onion, chopped finely.
¼ clove of garlic, minced.
Salt and black pepper, to taste.

Dice each chicken breast in one-inch cubes.

Season the cubes of chicken with salt and black pepper.

Bring the broth to boiling in a fondue pot, then maintain that temperature.

In a small bowl, combine the chili sauce, mayonnaise and onion.

Cook chicken cubes by skewing them on a fondue fork and dipping in the boiling broth for about 60 seconds. Use the chili/mayo/onion mixture for dipping in.


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## lindsayanng (Jan 17, 2009)

Well, i am a little nervous now from just grabbing a recipe from online because the last one was not all that great.. so i was hoping to find someone who has a tried and true recipe.. 

Unfortunately, chicken wont work, we have two vegi's there. So cheese fondue is the best idea.. i have read about oil too though.. It just doesnt sound appetizing to me.


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## Katie H (Jan 17, 2009)

Hi, lindsayanng, welcome to DC.  I understand your hesitation about trying things that are not tried-and-true.  Especially if you are not experienced with cooking.

My husband's family, on his mother's side, came from Switzerland.  Every New Year's we usher in the coming year with Grandpa Herman's fondue.  It's wonderful and the recipe has been in the family for generations.  Here it is if you would like to enjoy it too:



*[FONT=&quot]GRANDPA HERMAN’S CHEESE FONDUE[/FONT]*​ [FONT=&quot](Serves 4 to 6)[/FONT]​      [FONT=&quot]1 cup dry white wine, not cooking wine[/FONT]
  [FONT=&quot]1 clove garlic, cut into quarters[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]1 lb. cheese (half Gruyère, half Emmenthal[/FONT]
  [FONT=&quot]3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour[/FONT]
  [FONT=&quot]Dash freshly grated nutmeg[/FONT]
  [FONT=&quot]1½ splash Kirsch[/FONT]
  [FONT=&quot]1 baguette[/FONT]

  [FONT=&quot]Slice the baguette into 1-inch slices, then cut into bite-sized pieces.  Place bread cubes, in single layer, on a baking sheet and allow to dry for several hours or overnight.  The bread needs to be a bit dry/stale to stand up to being dipped into the fondue.  Set aside.[/FONT]

  [FONT=&quot]In a large bowl, shred cheeses using a box grater.  Toss cheese with flour to keep from clumping.  This can be done several hours ahead of time, covered, and refrigerated.[/FONT]

  [FONT=&quot]About 2 hours before serving, combine wine and garlic in the fondue pot.  Cover and let the garlic infuse the wine for about 1 hour.  Stir a bit before removing garlic.  Discard garlic.[/FONT]

  [FONT=&quot]Place fondue pot over low to medium heat and gradually stir in shredded cheese.  Stir constantly until cheese is melted and mixture is smooth.  Remove from heat and stir in Kirsch and nutmeg.[/FONT]

  [FONT=&quot]Put fondue over warmer and serve with baguette cubes.[/FONT]


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## lindsayanng (Jan 17, 2009)

Katie.. thanks SOO much.. that is similar to my mom's Welsch "rabbit" mixture, which is traditionally poured over toast, but my mom said she used to make it as fondue.. Since I have two pots, i wanted to try hers AND a new one..


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## Fisher's Mom (Jan 17, 2009)

This sounds so good, Katie. I want to try it, too, but I have never made fondue. I don't have a fondue pot but I do have a mini crock pot, like lindsayanng mentioned she has. Have you ever used one of them for fondue? What temp would I set it on for serving - warm, low or high? TIA


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## lindsayanng (Jan 17, 2009)

My mini crock booklet says for cheeses to use it on medium..


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## Fisher's Mom (Jan 17, 2009)

lindsayanng said:


> My mini crock booklet says for cheeses to use it on medium..


Oh thank you so much!!!! I bought this crockpot in a yard sale so I don't have an instruction book. Also, welcome to DC! You're brand new and already helping people!!! Yippee - I love members like you.


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## lindsayanng (Jan 18, 2009)

thanks.. I am a big believer in you put in what you take out.. ESPECIALLY with forums.. Even if i'm a new member, i try to add something SOMEWHERE... i was actually about to post one of my FAVORITE dessert recipes.


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## lindsayanng (Jan 18, 2009)

well, i tried to post it, but i kept getting an error that i cant put a url, but theres no url


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## Katie H (Jan 18, 2009)

Fisher's Mom said:


> This sounds so good, Katie. I want to try it, too, but I have never made fondue. I don't have a fondue pot but I do have a mini crock pot, like lindsayanng mentioned she has. Have you ever used one of them for fondue? What temp would I set it on for serving - warm, low or high? TIA



My guess is LOW.  Once the mixture has been mixed and melted all you need to do is to keep it warm enough to dip the bread into.  Too hot and the cheese might burn on the bottom.  Just a guess since I've never used a crock-pot for fondue.


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## lindsayanng (Jan 18, 2009)

The mini crock pots I dont THINK are nearly as powerful as the big ones. They arent made for cooking, they are made for keeping dips warm. With cheese, i would ASSUME that you need it to stay hotter than a typical sea food dip because you have to keep a mass of cheese from melting


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## GB (Jan 18, 2009)

Your problem is the cheese choice. Cheddar cheese alone will not give you that creamy texture you are looking for. Add equal parts of a Swiss type cheese (Ementhaler is traditional, but other Swiss cheeses will work too). You mentioned that you added beer. That is good because you do need some alcohol as well.


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## BreezyCooking (Jan 18, 2009)

The fondue I make is fairly identical to KatieE's. While I haven't had a fondue pot for years now, what I do is make it in regular saucepan on the stovetop & then poor it into a crockpot on "low" for serving.

Even without vegetarians coming to dinner, the chicken fondue is too dicey for me - especially for guests.  There's too much of a chance for someone to end up eating chicken not cooked well enough & becoming ill.


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## DramaQueen (Jan 18, 2009)

*I've been making one fondue in particular for 35 years and everyone always loves it.  It is my most popular one and it's so simple it's embarassing.

1 can Rotels tomatoes and chilis
1 lb. Velveeta cheese

Melt, mix well, dip CRUSTY rustic bread cubes and assorted veggies.  That's it.  Sooooo good and soooo simple.  I don't know why this one appeals to so many people but it does.*


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## lindsayanng (Jan 18, 2009)

well, i just wanted to come back and give an update.. 

The fondue recipes that I ended up using when WONDERFULLY! They were from Food Network

Here's the link: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/cheese-fondue-recipe/index.html


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## BreezyCooking (Jan 19, 2009)

Actually, the "burnt crusty cheese" that nearly always forms on the bottom of a fondue pot is both traditional & desired.  It's absolutely DELICIOUS, & I've heard of people fighting over it - lol!!

After the fondue is done & that "crust" has cooled down, I always save it as a snack for myself the next day.  Nuked on a plate in the microwave a bit, & sliced up with some toast pieces - lovely.


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## jennyema (Jan 20, 2009)

Katie E's recipe is spot-on.

The most important thing about making fondue is to use GOOD QUALITY CHEESE.  And melt it slowly in the heated wine.  If the wine gets too hot the cheese will get grainy.


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