Classic Fondue (Fondue Neuchateloise)

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

Dredge the cheese lightly with the flour.  Rub the cooking pot wiht garlic;
pour in the wine; wet over moderate heat.  When air bubbles rise to
surface, add lemon juice.  Then add the cheese by handfuls, stirring
constantly with a wooden fork or spoon until the cheese is melting.  Add
the Kirsch and spices, sitrring until blended.  Serve and keep bubbling hot
over burner.  Spear the bread cubes through the soft wide into the crust,
dunk and swirl in the fondue. Local Variations:  There are a number of
different fondues in western Switzerland and their chief difference depends
on the cheeses used.  Very often, two varieties of the same cheese are
used, i.e., a young cheese and a well-matured one. Fondue from Fribourg is
different from the classic (recipe above) in as much as no wine or Kirsch
is used int he dish.  Hot water is substituted in their stead. Also in
Fribourg, potatoes are sometimes used in lieu of bread. Fondue from Valais
uses the local cheeses and hot milk to melt the cheese in. Fondue from
Geneva sometimes has a handful of peeled, seeded and chopped fresh tomatoes
added with the cheese. The chief thing to remember about a cheese fondue is
that the cheese must cook  over very low heat or it will become stringy. It
must also be kept hot, but  over low heat, so that it will not heat too
much and become tough. Equipment: In Switzerland a fondue is made in a
round metal or earthenware pot, but a heavy earthenware or cast-iron
casserole will serve as long as it holdss the heat and is round in shape.
The pot (caquelon) is put in the middle of the table on a fondue-warmer,
which may be a mild alcohol flame or an electric hot plate. Long handled
forks are necessary to hold the bread. Cheeses: The choice of cheese if of
the greatest importance.  For a good fondue you must have a well-matured
Swiss Cheese.  American Swiss cheese is seldom, if ever, sufficently
matured to make a proper fondue.  It's worth buying a cheese marked with
the red trademark SWITZERLAND.  For the mildest fondue, use all Emmentaler
cheese.  For a medium fondue, use half Emmentaler and half Gruyere. If you
like a stronger flavor, use two thirds Gruyere and one third Emmentaler.
The strongest fondue is made from well-matured Gruyere. Preparation of the
cheese: Experience has proved that cheese cut into small dice melts better
and more smoothly than grated cheese.  The latter tends to form lumps when
cooking. Wine: Choose a light, sparkling, slightly acid wine, preferably a
Swiss Neuchatel.  The acidity of the wine helps to liquify the cheese and
to make the melted cheese homogenous. Wines with little acidity are not
suited to a  fondue.  If you think that the wine is not sufficently acid,
add a little lemon juice to help prevent formation of lumps. (One teaspoon
of lemon juice for each 6-7 tablespoons--3 1/2 liquid ounces) of wine will
serve). Proportion of cheese and wine: Count on about 6-7 tablespoonss of
wine for each 6 ounces of cheese. Since cheese, depending on its kind and
age, absorbs  liquids differently, you may have to adjust these quantities
a little.  Start with less wine rather than more--you can always add some.
How to cook the fondue: Rub the fondue pan with a cut garlic clove. Pour in
the wine. Put the pan on low heat on the kitchen stove if the fondue is to
be made in the kitchen and then taken to the warmer at the table or placed
over the heat of a chafing dish. Warm the wine, but do not boil it. Dredge
the cheese with the flour. Add the cheese gradually, stirring constantly,
not clockwise but in the shape of a figure 8. Increase the heat to
moderate. Keep on stirring and don't worry if the cheese does not thicken
at once. Flavor with pepper and nutmeg to taste; most likely it will not
need salt since the cheese is usually salty enough. Stir in a little Kirsch
(or brandy, gin or whiskey) until smooth and creamy. (A pinch of baking
soda will make a lighter fondue). Now bring the fondue to the table. Once
the fondue has been made, it should be kept bubbling. Regulate the flame of
the warmer so that the fondue keeps simmering while it is being eaten.
Toward the end of the meal, some of the melted cheese in the pot will form
a brown crust at the bottom of the pot.  At this stage, keep the heat as
low as possible (earthenware may crack at this point).  The crust can be
lifted out with a fork and is considered a special treat. How to eat the
fondue: It's important to dunk the bread in a stirring motion; this helps
maintain proper consistency of the fondue. Care of the fondue: It is
essential that the fondue keeps bubbling lightly at all times.  This is
done by regulating the heat, or by turning it off and on.  If the fondue
should become lumpy, or the liquid separate from the fat, the following
should be tried: put the fondue back onto the stove, stir it thoroughly
with a wire whisk and add  1/2 teaspoon constarch.  It may also be diluted
with up to 1/2 glass wine (warm first). This should bring  it back to a
creamy consistency.  Fondue does turn lumpy despite the care you have
taken.  Chese that is not well matured tends to become lumpy and to form
"threads." Both of these can be avoided by using more Gruyere cheese than
Emmentaler in the mixture.  If the fondue becomes too thick because of the
continuous cooking and evaporation of the liquid, it can be thinned by
adding some wine (warm first). Care of fondue eaters: Do not drink cold or
iced drinks--including wine-- during fondue eating. Traditionally Kirsch is
served in the "middle." Finish the meal with a cup of hot coffee or tea.
This is important. Drinking cold liquids will cause stomach aches.
Recipe By     :
File ftp://ftp.idiscover.co.uk/pub/food/mealmaster/recipes/mmdja006.zip

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