Fondue

A fondue [ fody ː, Switzerland. Fody ː ] ( from French fondue " molten" of fondre ) or a fondue (Italian ) is originally a dish of melted cheese, consisting of the western Alps - comes - the French-speaking Switzerland, Savoy and Piedmont. Meanwhile, the term is generally used for dishes where bite-sized pieces of food in heated liquids are dipped.

It is previously heated curd, chocolate, broth or fat at table over a table cooker, called a chafing dish, kept hot. In this substance by the participants of a fondue - eating bite-sized morsels with the aid of special skewers (with cheese, fat and chocolate fondue) or baskets dipped ( at Brühfondue ) and cooked in this way ( fat and Brühfondue ) or covered (cheese and chocolate fondue).

Cheese Fondue

The cheese fondue is the oldest variant of the designated fondue court. It consists of a mixture of melted cheese and white wine, the added starch as binder and with a shot of cherry ( fruit brandy ), as well as garlic and pepper is flavored. Depending on the type of cheese varies the flavor of the fondue, which is especially evident in the many regional varieties of fondues.

From France comes the fondue savoyarde ( " Savoyard fondue " ), consisting of the cheeses Emmental, Comté and Beaufort. A specialty from the north- west of Italy is the Fonduta valdostana ( " style melted " ) or the Fonduta Piemontese ( " Piedmont fondue " ), prepared on the basis of fontina cheese with butter, egg yolks, milk and white truffles.

The heated mixture is set at the table in a special pot made of ceramics, the fondue pot, over a chafing dish. The participants put pieces of bread or ( previously boiled ) potatoes on a long fork, keep it in the liquid cheese and run a circular motion, until the bread and the potato is covered with it.

Fat and Brühfondue

Also known as fondue meat or fish pots are now referred to, prepared as fat fondue ( fondue bourguignonne, "Burgundy fondue " ) or Brühfondue. The Brühfondue comes from Asia ( Chinese fondue, "Chinese fondue ", or Japanese shabu shabu variant ), where the preparation of food in so-called hot pot has a long tradition. In the hot broth not only meat is cooked, but also vegetables and small stuffed dumplings. Fish is steamed in baskets above the boiling broth. In contrast to the cheese fondue here is not ceramic, but a metal pot is used, since fat or broth are not only kept warm, but must be boiling hot. For eating a so-called Fondue Plates can then be used, which has a large area for eating and provides multiple small departments for sauces, dips, and other ingredients. Although the Brühfondue nothing is melted, buzz - probably because of the similarity, but etymology wrong - again from " fondue ".

In the preparation of the fat fondues not only selecting the right fondue pan plays a role, even the fat must be suitable for the high temperatures that occur during heating. The fat must be able to heat up to 180 degrees. There are now commercially special fondue fats and oils; Sunflower oil, peanut oil or soybean oil also work well. The ideal temperature is determined by holding a wooden stick in the fat. Rising bubbles on, the oil is hot enough.

Wine Fondue

Another variant, known as fondue Vigneron or fondue Bacchus, is the preparation of meat pieces in boiling wine. Can be used for both red and white wine.

Chocolate Fondue

When chocolate fondue are bite-sized pieces of fruit such as Apple, banana, strawberry, pear, pineapple or pieces of cake, marshmallow, gummy bears, etc. with a fork dipped in melted chocolate. A particularly spectacular form of chocolate fondue is the chocolate fountain, in which the liquid chocolate pours out over a fountain. In the fountains, the fruit pieces can be dipped.

For a successful chocolate fondue, it depends on selecting the right chocolate. Principle are both milk and dark chocolate and white chocolate. Dark chocolate has a higher melting point, therefore, the preparation of a harsher chocolate fondues takes a little longer. Contrast, white chocolate melts at 30 degrees, milk chocolate at 32 degrees. It is important that the chocolate has a high cocoa content. Cooking chocolate or chocolate coating make it a great chocolate fondue. In addition, there are also special chocolate fondue with good melting properties.

Fondue Accessories

For the preparation of a fondue you need the right accessories. These include:

• The fondue pan or a hot pot with matching lid (also called caquelon )
• A chafing dish
• Fondue skewers or forks
• Fondue baskets for cooking meat and fish
• Fondue dish for sauces and dips ( plate with several small compartments for sauces and dips, as well as a large department for consumption, for cheese fondues are also normal control, suitable )