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The French word fondu, meaning melted, lets you know how to prepare most fondues. The popular Swiss Fondue is prepared with melted cheese using bread for dunking, while desert fondues use melted chocolate, caramel or marshmallows with chunks of fruit or cake for dipping. Meats can also be used in main dish fondues; the difference being the dipping liquid is hot oil rather than a melted sauce.

The heating dish can be a fondue pot or chaffing dish, but if either is lacking a double boiler will do fine. If you are using oil for a meat fondue, make sure the dish or pot can withstand high temperatures and is firmly set on a steady table or counter-top. Fuel can be as simple as a tea candle or boiled water in a double boiler, but gel or liquid fuel works best.

To prepare the fondues a few recipes are all that are needed and these can be adjusted to your likes and wishes.

Swiss Fondue:

*1 1/2 lb grated cheese of choice

*1/3 c white wine

*2 T brandy

Light fuel and set dish over heat source. Pour in wine, when hot add cheese and stir until melted. Stir in brandy. Each person using his own long fork can now dip crispy garlic bread cubes into the sauce.

French bread Fondue:

*3 T butter

*3 T flour

*3 1/2 c milk

*1 1/2 lb Muenster or cheddar grated

*1 t salt - 1/2 t pepper - 1/4 t nutmeg- 3/4 t caraway seed

*loaf of French bread, cubed

Melt butter in top of double boiler; add flour blending well; add milk gradually and bring to boil while stirring constantly. Place over hot water; add cheese and seasonings; cook until melted. Move to table to serve with bread cubes.

This recipe can be modified by adding any or all of the following:

*1 t Dry mustard

*1 t Worcestershire sauce

*1 c of seafood, fish, or ham.

Main dish Fondue:

*1 cup per person of any meat, poultry, fish, or vegetable cubed

*1 c heavy cream

*1 c bread crumbs

*enough high heat oil to fill the pot to 3/4

Heat oil to 350*. Skewer cubes with fork; dip into cream, then bread crumbs, then oil. Serve with a selection of cool sauces or dips.

Chocolate Fondue:

*3/4 c whipping cream

*12 oz bag chocolate chips

*1 T brandy-optional

Set up fondue pot and light fuel. Heat cream to a simmer then pour into fondue pot and add chocolate; leave alone for about 3 minutes to melt then add brandy. Use chunks of fruit or cake for dipping. Chopped nuts or coconut can be used as condiments for dipping in after coated in chocolate.

With all of the dipping and dunking together it can't help but raise conversation levels up a notch or two and many traditions can be started and enjoyed by all. Some past traditions stem from the proper manners needed when eating fondue. If a tidbit was lost in the sauce by a man he had to buy a bottle of wine, if a woman lost her fare in the sauce she had to kiss the fellow to her left. For some younger folk losing their treasure would have them running and diving into the snow with only their most modest of clothing on. * So remember your manners and no double-dipping and please don't let your fork touch any part of your mouth or out to the snow pile you go!

* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F ondue

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