Helpful Hints For Making Fondue
Author: Christopher Fisher

Cheese Fondue

Cheese fondue is best in a ceramic fondue pot. A ceramic pot
will diffuse heat evenly and prevent the fondue from being
burned.

If your cheese fondue calls for wine, as most do, don't use a
cheap cooking wine. A moderately priced Sauvignon Blanc will
produce the best tasting fondue.

No matter the recipe, some good dipping ingredients for cheese
fondue are: Chunks of French bread, chicken, ham, broccoli
florets, small red potatoes and asparagus spears.

Do yourself a favor and don't use pre-made fondue mixes like
the ones you can buy at your local supermarket. They contain
inferior ingredients and always stink up the house. They also
don't taste anything like a delicious, freshly prepared fondue.

Chocolate Fondue

If you want some extra flavor in your chocolate fondue, add a
flavored liquor such as Grand Marnier.

Dry off any dipping ingredients, otherwise it may affect the
texture of your chocolate fondue.

Meat Fondue

Meat fondue requires a metal fondue pot for heating the oil.
Usually an electric fondue set will work best.

Try to have a variety of dipping sauces for dunking the meat in
after it is cooked. This will really liven up your meal, and
make meat fondue a lot more fun.

Popular oils for meat fondue are vegetable oil, vegetable
shortening, canola, grapeseed, and peanut oil. Grapeseed and
peanut oil are the highest quality oils. They are also the most
expensive.

Oil should be heated to just below the boiling point (375
degrees Farenheit). A deep-frying thermometer is a handy tool
for helping to determine the temperature.

Unlike dessert and cheese fondue, you will want to have some
plates and silverwear for use with meat fondue. This is because
meat fondue needs time to cool after you remove it from the hot
oil. Simply remove from the oil, remove the meat from your
fondue fork with a regular fork, let it cool, dunk it in sauce
and enjoy!

Fondue Safety

Keep a kitchen fire extinguisher in the house if you are going
to be using a fondue pot with an open flame. Most of these pots
have a fuel lid that can kill the flame, but it never hurts to
be safe.

Keep the fondue set on flat, heat-resistant surface.

Keep the set in the center of the table. Don't let it get near
the edge, where it could possibly get knocked over.

Fondue Etiquette

After you dunk into the fondue pot, hold your dipper over the
pot for a bit. This will give it time to cool and will also
allow the excess cheese to drain off so it doesn't get
everywhere.

Be careful to not touch the fondue fork with your lips, tongue,
or teeth. It does go back in the pot, after all.

Don't double dip and don't dip into the pot with your fingers.

You can have some fun with fondue traditions if you like.
Traditionally, if a man loses his food in the pot he has to buy
a round of drinks. If a woman loses her food in the pot, she has
to kiss the person next to her.


About The Author: Christopher is a contributing writer and
reviewer for http://www.fonduebits.com, the Internet's best
resource for fondue information, reviews, articles and tips.