On a bitter cold night, there is nothing better than sharing some serious comfort food with a group of friends. The problem with much comfort food however is that it takes a good deal of time and planning to prepare. Now, I have no problem spending two days to make a couple of loaves of sourdough bread or a really intricate chocolate torte, but we are all looking for simpler ways to entertain. For that, I'd like to raise up a child of the 70's, the humble fondue.
I'll bet that most of you could - either by asking your parents or visiting a well-stocked antique store - lay your hands on a fondue pot. If those sources fail you, Amazon will provide. The question is, what can you do with it? I want to share two fondue recipes that will have you swapping stories over bubbling pots of cheese and chocolate in less time than it take to text your friends and invite them over.
A word about fondue forks: you can make do without them. For cheese fondue, you can substitute long toothpicks or thin italian breadsticks, and for chocolate, marshmallows speared on tiny pretzels sticks work much better than a fork, and the long toothpicks work well for dried fruit or poundcake. That said, if you get your hands on some of the wooden handled, color-tipped forks, go wild! Just don't put them in the dishwasher - the 70s were all about hand-washing.
To start your fondue party, serve a salad following my "magic salad" rule of one fruit, one nut and one cheese (suggested combinations are with the recipe). Serve with a simple vinaigrette - given the main course and dessert, you will want to start on a lighter note.
I'll bet that most of you could - either by asking your parents or visiting a well-stocked antique store - lay your hands on a fondue pot. If those sources fail you, Amazon will provide. The question is, what can you do with it? I want to share two fondue recipes that will have you swapping stories over bubbling pots of cheese and chocolate in less time than it take to text your friends and invite them over.
A word about fondue forks: you can make do without them. For cheese fondue, you can substitute long toothpicks or thin italian breadsticks, and for chocolate, marshmallows speared on tiny pretzels sticks work much better than a fork, and the long toothpicks work well for dried fruit or poundcake. That said, if you get your hands on some of the wooden handled, color-tipped forks, go wild! Just don't put them in the dishwasher - the 70s were all about hand-washing.
To start your fondue party, serve a salad following my "magic salad" rule of one fruit, one nut and one cheese (suggested combinations are with the recipe). Serve with a simple vinaigrette - given the main course and dessert, you will want to start on a lighter note.
The main course is of course cheese fondue. While there are many ways to make cheese fondue, I prefer to keep it simple: use a bag of good quality pre-grated cheese, a bit of chopped onion, some beer and a couple of tablespoons of flour. The recipe comes together in under five minutes, and - bonus - your guests can help you prepare it!
The next question is what to dip? Start with sliced apples (Granny Smith work well) and cubed french bread, and if you like, include thin italian breadsticks, par-cooked broccoli or even lightly microwaved mushrooms (dry well before serving). This is not an exhaustive list - after all, what doesn't taste great with a bit of cheese?
For dessert, clean your fondue pot of any leftover cheese and pile in chopped dark chocolate. Add cream and stir until melted; then stir in a few tablespoons of liqueur. The recipe for chocolate fondue has many permutations; I'm sure you can think of several just while reading!
For a dessert fondue, consider dipping mini-marshmallows speared on thin pretzels, fruit that has been washed and well dried, pound cake, or animal crackers for kids. For the more adventurous, chunks of cheesecake, thin crisp cookies, dried fruits, or even a toasted nut or two or two are delicious. Like cheese, what doesn't taste good dipped in chocolate?
One more thing about fondue: it's not considered good form to drop things into the fondue pot, in fact, if you do this, you are supposed to kiss the person to your left. So do take care when planning your seating arrangements...we've heard some stories about those wild 70's, and who knows if fondue played a role?
Happy dipping,
Chris
If you would like to hear about all my recipes, tips and adventures in cooking, go to www.ucancook.net and enter your email on the right side. Alternatively, email me at chrisd.williams@yahoo.com and I will set you up!
The next question is what to dip? Start with sliced apples (Granny Smith work well) and cubed french bread, and if you like, include thin italian breadsticks, par-cooked broccoli or even lightly microwaved mushrooms (dry well before serving). This is not an exhaustive list - after all, what doesn't taste great with a bit of cheese?
For dessert, clean your fondue pot of any leftover cheese and pile in chopped dark chocolate. Add cream and stir until melted; then stir in a few tablespoons of liqueur. The recipe for chocolate fondue has many permutations; I'm sure you can think of several just while reading!
For a dessert fondue, consider dipping mini-marshmallows speared on thin pretzels, fruit that has been washed and well dried, pound cake, or animal crackers for kids. For the more adventurous, chunks of cheesecake, thin crisp cookies, dried fruits, or even a toasted nut or two or two are delicious. Like cheese, what doesn't taste good dipped in chocolate?
One more thing about fondue: it's not considered good form to drop things into the fondue pot, in fact, if you do this, you are supposed to kiss the person to your left. So do take care when planning your seating arrangements...we've heard some stories about those wild 70's, and who knows if fondue played a role?
Happy dipping,
Chris
If you would like to hear about all my recipes, tips and adventures in cooking, go to www.ucancook.net and enter your email on the right side. Alternatively, email me at chrisd.williams@yahoo.com and I will set you up!
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