I never have an answer when someone asks me what my favorite food is. There are certainly things I love to eat, but I am hard pressed to say what my absolute favorite is. I like to go out to eat, but not necessarily to the big time, big name expensive restaurants. I do remember distinctly, growing up, a few special meals. There were meals that signified certain occasions or events or even just represented a celebratory mood. There was crown roast – big event, usually a holiday. A French restaurant in the city – not usually for any occasion but a family affair, time to act like a respectable human being. Fancy brunch in a hotel – special occasion or celebration. And then there was fondue. At home, not usually for any particular reason, but it certainly didn’t happen on just any old Tuesday, maybe it was over a holiday break or extended vacation period at home.
My son eats anything. Sushi? Why not! Indian food – sure. Hey, want to try some octopus? Abso-lutely.
My daughter. Not so much. Food can’t be touching and must be being in color. Possibly yellow. Occasionally orange. If it’s a month with a “Y” in it.
So I made fondue. Modified. No wine, I made a roux, added a lot of milk, stirred in Gruyere and cheddar. Weird consistency, so I whisked it a lot. It needed a ton of salt and pepper not to be bland. Frankly, regular cheese fondue with wine and kirsch is a ton better, but I knew that would never sell. We ate it with crusty bread, tomatoes, cauliflower, and green peppers. And by “we” I mean three of us. One of us ate a lot of bread and melty cheese.
Good times were had by all. So much, in fact, that I forgot to take a picture.
Until…dessert.
Then I remembered.
Melt chocolate – mostly semi-sweet, some milk, over a double boiler, add half and half or light cream until it’s a pourable consistency. Serve with fruit, cut up pound cake, and marshmallows. Give children Benadryl so they sleep.
Mmmm…fondue.
The Domestic Goddess recently posted..I’ma Gettin’ Real Here, People
I LOVE fondue! Pretty much any time you can dip food into cheese or chocolate is a really good time.
I wonder if it would be okay to add a little Melatonin to a special fondue pot just for the kids? Maybe they would go to sleep AND stay asleep (and in their own beds) all night long. Hmmm…
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One of my fondest memory meals is of raclette after a day of skiing in the Swiss alps when I was 12-ish. A half-wheel of cheese was mounted on a stand with a heat lamp positioned above the cut side, so the exposed cheese is being continually melted. It was served with tiny boiled new potatoes, bacon, broccoli, bread, pickles, and I’m sure lots of other tidbits. The method was to stab your potato and scrape it along the melty, cut side of the cheese.
Absolute heaven.
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I do so love fondue but my childhood memory meal is chicken pot pie. Not really good homemade chicken pot pie but rather the Swanson’s kind that came in the small box in the frozen section. I just loved the crust on those things and, for my family, that was the ultimate in gourmet (meaning not homemade by mom) meals. I still can’t walk by them in the grocery store without some kind of primal urge to buy one. It was the epitome of comfort food (and we only got them about once a year on a Wednesday night). Ahh, memories…
Yuck, chocolate :-p
But, mmmmm, cheese fondue.
In the very, very near future, I’m going to start having the kids help me in the kitchen, even if it’s just to put toppings on a pizza . . . I need them learning to love to cook.
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Even I never have an answer to what my favorite food is. Your article sent me on a memory meal as well and I realized that I’m in love with fondue. But it definitely is not my favorite dish.
Your dish must have been as delicious as it sounds and looks over here.
Thanks for sharing.
-Frank
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