fondue?

[Jules001]

Like a lot of people I have the ubiquitous (sp) fondue set at the back of my kitchen cupboard which has never seen the light of day. We were talking about fondues the other day and we realised our teenage daughter didn't have a clue what we were on about as she has never seen or heard of one. So we are now planning a fondue evening, but the instruction leaflet has long gone and I don't know what fuel to put in the burner, it looks like some sort of cloth pad covered with wire mesh and I was thinking of using methylated spirit to light it, would this be ok or should I get something else, don't want to risk burning the house down.

[Plocket]

Ours uses methylated spirits but I would caution you not to over fill the burner.

Have a lovely evening - we really enjoy having the occasional fondue!

[nickmo]

Brilliant things....A little meths does wonders - and don't forget in case of spills to stand the burner on a suitable surface - not the bare table top........

And make a chocolate fondue - melt a toblerone, add cream and orange liqueur and dip candied fruit, brioche, fresh fruit chunks, choc squares, turkish delight, etc.

Or a meat fondue - fill pan 1/3 with oil, boil it, simmer and cook slices of steak, poultry or pork and serve with a few dips. Yum....

Or a fish fondue - make up a fish broth, dip fish / shellfish and it cooks in the hot broth and serve with various dips again, then everyone shares the soup at the end. Very Mongolian, that one

Make a cheese one without alcohol - use apple juice instead, or try a beer fondue for a different flavour. Try with a few different cheeses. Dip cooked sausage, bread, crudites etc.

[nickmo]

Meant to add the recipes too - 250 ideas here, in case you get stuck.

And the guest is the one thats meant to get the crust off the bottom of the pan if you do a cheese one. Thats a Swiss tradition

[larkin]

Do you know Jules, like you we have a fondue crammed in the back of a cupboard . I will be getting it out and dusting it down in preparation for tomorrow night now ! Thanks to you, plocket and nickmo .

[crisgal]

and don't forget the rule: if you drop your bread in (or whatever), you miss your next go!

[willowman]

I always understood that if a woman lost her bit of bread or meat in the pot she had to kiss all the men, and if a man lost his chunk then he had to provide the next bottle of wine!
Could make for an interesting evening.

[Jules001]

thank you everyone, I am really looking forward to trying this out now, we might even get a fondue revival campaign going - what do you think?

[crisgal]

well, i've dusted mine off this afternoon and am ready to par-tay!

[sue11]

I love fondues! We tend to make both meat, using oil in the fondue and cheese ones at the same time and use garlic bread to dunk in the cheese, gorgeous! Use meths to fill the burner, but don't, as already advised overfill, or the flames from the burner will nearly reach the ceiling! Yes it happened to me, I was a bit drunk at the time, tried to carry the burner out to the kitchen and watched as the meths all spilled out of the burner and fell still burning onto the kitchen lino. It scorched it, but as I said I was drunk and at this point it was all incredibly funny until I saw it the next morning........