Do You Fondue?

Growing up in the 70's, fondue was all the rage. It has been making a come back in recent years. We love it at our house. Best to have kids that are a little older because it would put a damper on the evening if someone got 3rd degree burns from the scalding oil. It is so simple to prepare, can satisfy meat lovers to vegetarians, and you can even make do without a fondue pot.

I usually ask what everyone would like to eat during the week. The first to speak up was My Middle One. She requested fondue. I personal cheffed today for my favorite client so it was easy enough to pick up what I needed at the store on my way home. As with most of our meals, I I always trying to take picture. Tonight seemed to be a challenge for some reason. My Middle One almost went into convulsions because she said she was so hunger. Guess it was more important to catch the latest episode of Hannah Montana than get something to eat when she got home from school. By the way, she did not pass out from the lack of food.

We had two types of fondue -- one was a cheese medley with bread chunks, apples, and blanched cauliflower. I thought I had broccoli at home - forgot it went into my vat of broccoli cheddar soup a couple days ago. The other was straight smoking hot oil, heated to about 365 degrees, to cook up some strip steak. A nice accompaniment is a horseradish cream or a spicy mustard. No Thank You Boy just eats meat. He hoards the steak and hot oil fondue pot. My Middle One ate about a foot of the baguette I cut up with gobs of cheese fondue and is feeling the repercussions as she does her homework. My Oldest is still adjusting to her new early morning high school schedule and 3 hours of field hockey practice after school. She basically shovels in the food and is off to do her homework. She had an appetizer of Spaghettios and Meatballs to hold her over until I could get the fondue done.

My favorite fondue combo is a chunk of baguette dipped in the cheese and topped with a rare piece of steak. My version of the fondue cheese steak sandwich. My Middle One and No Thank You Boy tried frying up some bread cubes in the oil. The result was hot soggy bread cubes soaked in oil. They were too impatient to wait to cook them fully.

Triple Cheese Fondue

1 pound grated cheese - I used sharp cheddar, swiss, and provolone
toss cheese with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 cup white wine
good squeeze of lemon juice
pinch of nutmeg

Heat half and half, wine and lemon juice to a simmer in a small pot or fondue pot. Add cheese and a pinch of nutmeg. Stir to melt cheese. If you have a fondue set, keep the fondue warm over sterno. Serve with bread chunks, apples, blanched cauliflower and broccoli and anything else you want to dip in cheese.