Fondue and Raclette

'Tis the Season for Fondue and Raclette

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ITwo wonderful winter dining traditions are fondue and raclette. Both are interactive and fun hot meals, asking the diner to assist in cooking his or her own meal. Enjoying fondue involves dipping a solid food into a pot containing a liquid form of another, combining two great tastes. For instance, for cheese fondue, chunks of bread are dipped into a blend of two or three melted cheeses from the Alps. These cheeses can include Gruyere, Emmental, Appenzeller and several others.

Chocolate fondue combines marshmallows and fruit slices with hot melted chocolate. Because chocolate is an aphrodisiac, chocolate fondue is the perfect romantic dessert. By adding ingredients to the melted chocolate, like cinnamon or vanilla extract, this sexy dessert can be slightly modified each time it is enjoyed.


Fondue Bourguignon is slightly different. In this meal, raw cubes of Filet Mignon are first dunked into a pot of boiling hot peanut oil to cook, and then dipped in one of several sauces before being eaten. The traditional sauces include remoulade sauce, curry sauce, aioli, and horseradish sauce, but you can serve whatever may sound appealing. We enjoy a simple mixture of crème fraiche and truffle oil. Furthermore, chicken, shrimp or vegetables can be offered in place the beef, and boiling hot broth can be substituted for the oil.

Raclette is another Alpine tradition involving melted cheese. The particular cheese used in this meal, also named Raclette, is heated until its top surface becomes soft, which is then scraped off using a special knife. The cheese is scraped over boiled potatoes and served on a plate with other vegetables and meats, including cornichons, pickled onions, ham slices, dried sausages and the like. Appropriately, the term "Raclette" comes from the French verb Racler, which means "to scrape."

Even though raclette and fondue are most often served during this time of year, they are excellent, healthy, alternative meals that can be enjoyed all year round. Shop igourmet for Fondue sets plus the necessary cheeses and/or ready-to-eat preparations. igourmet also sells Raclette appliances, knives, and Raclette cheeses from France and Switzerland in both a one-pound wedge and the hard-to-find half-wheel.  Click Here

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