ooh, am going to buy a FONDUE set and do a lovely cheese fondue for 6. tips please!

[noonar]

i have 4 friends coming over before xmas and want to do a hassle free, but special meal. i was watching nigella last night and am now really into the idea of doing a fondue.

i have a few questions...

can anyoneyone recommend a good set that is cheaper than the le creuset?

what could i serve as side dish, starter and pud, to make the meal seem fairly balanced (NOT cheesecake, like nigella did -lol)

what kind of bread could my wheat intolerant friend use to dip - would rye bread work?

finally, can anyone recommend a good fondue recipe book?

tia xx

A cheese fondue is lovely, but very rich - you may find that a starter/pudding is unecessary!

When I do a fondue (haven't for ages) I usually just serve a big green salad, with a garlicky dressing. The dressing is sufficiently acid to cut through the richness of the fondue.

But I'm not sure what a wheat intolerant person could use to dip - unless you give something like cubes of cooked potato/new potatoes, button mushrooms, or cherry tomatoes?

Hope it goes well!

Yes, here's a tip. Don't .....

thanks, santa. potatoes might be good.

another question...could you get 6 people to share one pot??

desiderata, why ever not?? did one years ago at new year, we were staying in a cotteg which had a fondue set. it was yummmmeeeee

'cottage' lol

We are having a fondue party this weekend for my birthday and a friend just told me about Nigella doing one last night. Cheeky mare, I thought of it first. It was meant to be my revival!!

I've usually done it for 4, as you're limited by the size of the dish, but it is very rich and filling! Maybe you could supplement it with another veggie/salad dish?

I got given a fondue set ... used it once.

Once got email from someone requesting empty fondue set boxes so they could construct fake wedding present pile for friends... oooh, another fondue set.

Surely theres some way to do it with a heavy bottomed pan rather than buying special kit?

Mum has leant me two fondue sets. One of the forks is missing it's coloured jewel and has teeth marks on it from where the dog chewed it (about 20 years ago!!)

The thing about a fondue set is having it on the table, and the whole 'theatre' of it. And it does need to be kept hot, otherwise it goes very thick and it's hard to dip into.

I've never done a meat fondue though - the thought of boiling oil on the table just unnerves me somewhat!

The book I use is at least 10 years old, but its very good and gives you accompaniment ideas too. There's loads of different cheese fondues in it too. The book is by Lorna Rhodes and its called The book of Fondues (funnily enough!) You might be able to get it really cheap somewhere.

The earthenware pots are better for cheese fondues btw.

Traditionally you serve it with pickles such as onions, gherkins, carrots, sauerkraut maybe. Does it have to be a cheese one ? Our favourite is fish/seafood and you use a bouillon ot poach it in . Then you can offer rice/chips and salad on the side.

There's only that very book going on Ebay! finishes in 4 days!

We love cheese fondue and have dipped:

bread cubes
carrot sticks
pieces of cooked sausage
pickled onions
salami
celery sticks
boiled new potatos

wow, what lovely ideas. thanks everyone.fairy-great dipping ideas!

interesting about the earthenware, i thought cast iron was supposed to be better for cheese.

it does have to be cheese, really liz, as i dont do seafood or meat- and i lurve cheese.

will check out that book...ta

yes - earthenware for cheese - if it was metal it would burn

My best ever cheese fondue recipe but am clueless about quantities:
A lot of white wine - get it simmering
Add a load of grated Emmenthal and Gruyere (half and half)
Add some nutmeg, salt and pepper
Thicken a bit with a bit of cornflour.

.. as told to me by a real-life Swiss woman and it is just lovely.

hassled, sounds good- but i think i need to know quantities.

really? not cast ion. must have been given wrong advice.

do i need 2 pots for 6 people?

ok, just googled and i think maybe cast iron is ok if its enamelled.

Don't use cheese that has been frozen as the freezing splits the proteins and you end up with lump and liquid - just relating one of our 'interesting kitchen discussions' between DH and me when the fondue wouldn't go right

PS it was me who used the frozen cheese so I can't blame him

it's best to use earthenware, enamelled cast iron is for the fondue chinoise/bourgingnon (bouillon/oil respectively).

One pan should be big enough for 6, easily.

Don't drink beer with it, unless a lump of solidified cheese giving you tummy ache all night appeals. Hense serving with pickles and trad. drinking eg Kirsch with it, as this helps break down the cheese.

I personally could eat cheese fondue for breakfast.

If you have one of those pan warmers with the night lights in that would possibly do at a stretch if you don't have proper set.....

And now to the fondue itself .

You need about 200-250g of cheese per person, eg half gruyere, half vacherin. I'll say for 800g of cheese

Rub a halved garlic clove around the pan. put the grated cheese in the pan on med heat.

Then add 3 dessert spoons of corn flower mixed into 400ml of white wine. Kepp stirring, traditionally only in one direction or your leg falls off or something.

Then flavour with a bit of nutmeg and/or black pepper and a good slug of kirsch if you have it.

Then enjoy keep it over heat while eating, and don't forget drink black tea or schnappy or something, def. no cold beer. ANd as lizs says, serve with lots of different pickles like baby sweetcorn, onions, cornicons etc

You could just bake a Camembert or something.