Hatrack River Forum: Fondue-- a food question for you fine diners

This is topic Fondue-- a food question for you fine diners in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

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Posted by Wendybird (Member # 84) on :

I was so excited to win a $50 gift certificate to The Melting Pot, a fondue restaurant. Being poor at the moment has limited our dates and we were really looking forward to this free meal at a nice restaurant. While looking at their online menu however, we noticed that the cheese fondue is made with white wine and Kirschwasser (a type of brandy I think). Anyway, I am going to ask if they make versions without alcohol when I make the reservation but in case they don't, does the alcohol cook out of the fondue? Does anyone have any knowledge of fondue??????

If we could spend the certificate on just the dessert fondue we would! But it specifies the 3 or 4 course meal......which looks soooooo delicious.

Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :

My eleven-year-old sister, ever so alcahol conscious, asks this whenever fondue appears on the menu. Yes, there is no alcaholic effect from fondue (except for the taste, so if you don't like a wine-y taste, you won't like fondue).

Unless I've been seriously misled.

Posted by DocCoyote (Member # 5612) on :

I love Melting Pot! Be sure to have a little extra cash, though, as it seems the $50 doesn't quite do it.

I am not an expert on the real facts about how much alcohol cooks out of a dish. I've heard all kinds of theories, etc. I think a significant portion of the alcohol cooks out, but most of the alcoholics I know (runs in my family) avoid the possibility that there will be any residual left.

If you are avoiding for religious or alcohol tolerance reasons, I'd suggest letting the waiter/waitress know you want no alcohol. It isn't that an unusual a request. You don't need to tell them when you make the reservation.

Spend lots of time at their website. It's a good'un. Also, learn to make your own fondue. It's very easy if you have an electric fondue pot, and a great deal cheaper.

I hope you have a wonderful time!

Lisa

Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :

It depends on who makes it, and how much they use.

Most restaurants don't overload it, and the alcohol burns off in the melting stage.

Kirchwasser is a German liqueur, BTW...I worked in a German restaurant for 2 years.... [Big Grin]

Kwea

Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :

Doesn't alcahol have a very low boiling point? Although, I'm not sure how that relates to cheese...

Posted by Eduardo_Sauron (Member # 5827) on :

I don't like alcohol. Not for religious reasons. I simply can't stand the taste of alcoholic beverages.

When I cook fondue, using white wine and brandy, I noticed that the alcohol boils down, and the alcoholic taste is negligible.

I don't know how the restaurant does it, but they'll probably not use much wine nor Kirch, since they can be the most expensive part of the fondue (at least here in Brazil. Cheese is cheap over here).

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

Kirchwasser is a lovely cherry brandy (although not at all like what is sold in the US and called cherry brandy).

Alcohol does have a low boiling point, but in any mixture (unless you boil off all the liquid, which generally is a bad move), there will be remnants of the alcohol left behind.

But asking that they not use alcohol should be simple.

Have a great time! [Smile]

Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :

The Melting Pot is one of our very favorite restaurants!

The alcohol cooks off. If this isn't technically 100% correct, it's at least virtually so. Heck, we've brought our kids with us (they are six now, but were doubtless younger the last two times we took them). If it's any indication, the restaurant doesn't balk at serving kids.

And not all of their cheeses are made with wine. Their cheddar is made with a beer base. The alcohol keeps the cheese from being lumpy and disgusting, so unless you have a very strong reason for objecting to the merest possibility of alcohol, I would recommend against leaving it out. If you get entrees beyond cheese (and dessert, of course!) I personally recommend the court bullion style of cooking over the traditional batter. It is much less heavy, better for you, and, imo, better tasting.

Cheers!

[Dang. Now I'm hungry.]

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

code:

           Alcohol Burn-off Chart  
 Preparation Method        Percent Retained  
alcohol added to boiling liquid & removed from heat    85% 
alcohol flamed    75% 
no heat, stored overnight    70% 
baked, 25 minutes, alcohol not stirred into mixture    45% 
Baked/simmered dishes with alcohol stirred into mixture: 
15 minutes cooking time    40% 
30 minutes cooking time    35% 
1 hour cooking time    25% 
1.5 hours cooking time    20% 
2 hours cooking time    10% 
2.5 hours cooking time    5%

Link

Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :

*shrug*

Who cares about that? I want cheese! I don't have any cheese. I drank some milk, but, you know what? MILK IS NOT CHEESE! [Mad]

::goes of in search of Triscuit::

[ August 26, 2004, 11:32 PM: Message edited by: Icarus ]

Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :

I'm a teetotaller, and I've never had problems with real fondue.

Then again, I had a hard time explaining to a waiter at my favorite restaurant in Chambéry that hard cider does indeed count as alcohol. ("It's not alcohol! It's cider!" he protested)

My philosophy with most foreign cuisine is "what you don't know can't hurt you."

Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :

My experience with fondue is that while the wine-y and kirsch taste remains, the effect of the alcohol is neglible.

Unless the said fondue is made by a mad visting swiss-french man named Renee. In that case, you will get a kirsch hangover.

Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :

In the US it is called a liqueur, so as to not confuse the Americans.... [Big Grin]

It is quite good, but is nasty as a shot.

People used to order it all the time, so I served quite a bit of it around Christmas time when we finally got busy.

Kwea

Posted by Chris Bridges (Member # 1138) on :

I can't stand the taste of alcohol, never could.

I love The Melting Pot.

But the heck with all this talk about cheese. What about the melted chocolate? Mmm...

Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :

My favorite is little pieces of steak fondued in hot oil.

But chocolate is good too.

Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :

I have never understood the whole "cooking with alcohol" habit. (I am not a chef). If all the alcohol you put in cooks off, and very little of the flavor of it is even left (as Educardo said in his post), then why the heck even use it? Sounds like an expensive waste to me...

FG

Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :

I've never had this, but maybe I should. Hm.

Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :

What cooks off is the "boozy" flavor, leaving a very different, but very noticiable, other flavor. I don't drink, but I do cook with alcohol.

Besides, without it you can't light your dessert on fire*, and what fun would that be?

*Unless you're making s'mores. And with creme brulee you get to use a propane torch on it, which is almost as fun.

Posted by Christy (Member # 4397) on :

Now I really want to go to the Melting Pot again. I don't think there's one nearby. [Frown]

We had such fun with Ic and Cor and the food was amazing. Fondue at home is good, too, though.

Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :

Hey Christy, I know of two nearby down here.
[Wink]

Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :

Dana, have you ever tried the bullion? If not, give it a try some time and tell me what you think.

-o-

Chris, would you guys be interested in "double-dating" sometime at a Melting Pot between us?

Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :

I've never actually been to a Melting Pot, though I'd like to. I've only fondued at home.

Steak fondue used to be our favorite treat when dad was out of town, because he wasn't a big fan when we were little. Now he likes it too, so we've started having it for Christmas Eve dinner.

When Bob first met my family we had pitchfork fondue -- whole steaks on pitchforks cooked in a big pot of oil. (Outside, obviously)

Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :

I don't think I've actually ever had fondue, unless like spinach-avacado dip on crackers counts.

AJ

Posted by TheTick (Member # 2883) on :

Was it heated in a pot at the time?

Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :

well it was served warm but I don't think that's considered fondue.

Posted by Christy (Member # 4397) on :

Well, Anna, we'll have to go sometime!

Posted by KarlEd (Member # 571) on :

My friends and I had a "slumber party" one New Years Eve a couple of years ago. We had two fondue pots and did 2 cheese fondue, then 2 "entree" fondue (one with hot oil and the other with broth), then 2 chocolate fondue (one white, one dark). MMMMMMmmmmmmm.

Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :

*grin* Christy beat me to it. I was JUST going to suggest taking the Midwest Clump out for fondue. [Smile]

Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :

hmmm sounds like an Idea!

AJ

Posted by Turgan (Member # 6697) on :

I had a band that was called Blue Fondue once... i have NO idea why this is important... just thought i'd mention it.

Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :

*grin* If we went this weekend, you could all meet and be scared by my mom. [Smile]

Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :

after my grandmother, do you actually think your mother would scare me?

[Smile]

Posted by Turgan (Member # 6697) on :

My grandmother is HARDCORE Religious.
Whenever i get pissed off at her or something, i go real rigid then fall on the floor and start wriggling and squirming and yelling out "SATANA! SATANA!"
She screams and goes into the pantry (where she keeps her holy water.. unbelievable) and starts sprinkling and flinging it on me.
heh heh...

Posted by KarlEd (Member # 571) on :

Ok, now that's just sadistic.

Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :

I’m starting to get jealous of the members of the Midwest clump who live closer together.

I hereby require at least one Hatracker to move close enough that we can go out for dinner spontaneously! And the sooner the better.

Posted by Turgan (Member # 6697) on :

HA. I live in South USA. Texas to be specific.

Posted by TheTick (Member # 2883) on :

I feel your pain, dkw. I'm living in a great Hatrackian wasteland.

Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :

Turgan there are quite a few jatraqueros in TX.

Posted by Chris Bridges (Member # 1138) on :

Ic -- I'd be up for it, but I'll need to wait a month or so. My son just started college and set up in his new apartment and, since his student aid isn't in yet, all of it came out of our now drained bank account. We should get (more or less) reimbursed soon.

Posted by KarlEd (Member # 571) on :

Well you could all drive up to Hanover, PA on the 4th of September for our housewarming. (Email me for the address.)

Posted by Leonide (Member # 4157) on :

Karl! You need to move your housewarming to another Saturday! Pronto!

Posted by Christy (Member # 4397) on :

*is very tempted to make PA a Labor Day getaway*

Anna, Tom's mom, while not as religiously fanatic as your grandmother, is still scary in her own right. I expect she'll be on her best behavior because of the baby, though.

Still, I haven't seen her yet without doing something memorably wrong, so I'm a bit nervous.

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

quote:
I hereby require at least one Hatracker to move close enough that we can go out for dinner spontaneously! And the sooner the better.

dkw, I believe you have one scheduled to do so, neh? [Big Grin]

Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :

"but most of the alcoholics I know (runs in my family) avoid the possibility that there will be any residual left."

Yes, my husband almost served a tableful of AA members creme de menthe parfait. There was just a tiny drizzle of alcohol, but they explained to him, after realizing what it was, thank God, that any of them could have gone off the wagon because of it. In fact, some alcoholics cannot drink non alcoholic beer, because there is a small amount of it still there.

I disagree that cooking with alcohol creates no different taste. Tell that to the French! There are few things better in culinary life(to me) than the taste of a red wine reduction sauce. Yowza!

Posted by Wendybird (Member # 84) on :

Mere words can not describe how delicious the meal was [Big Grin]

We had the cheddar cheese fondue as our first course, made with the vegetable bouillion and worcestshire sauce. It was so yummy! The salads were good too. I had the chef's with the tangy house dressing and my dh had the california with the raspberry vinagrette. We had our meats fondue with the Mojo fondue. Wow. It was so so so good. Carribean flavor with citrus and cilantro. It was heavenly. The sauces were out of this world too. Alas we were so stuffed we couldn't fit dessert in (and we had to get back to save our babysitter!) but we plan on going back soon just for dessert. What a wonderful meal!

Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :

Awesome! [Smile]

Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :

That sounds sooo good.

Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :

Mmmm fondue. Maybe I'll make some this week - there's a gourmet deli nearby that sells all the cheeses prepackaged (and imported from Switzerland) which cuts down the cost a little. Emmental, Tomte and Gruyere... *mm-mm*.

I also quite like steamboat - asian-y stock (we normally do a chicken master stock, with star anise, soy, ginger and other goodies) and then marinated thinly sliced meat and various vegetable to dip in and cook. Then at the end you thicken up the stock and have it as a soup...

Great, now I'm hungry. Glad to hear your dinner went well though, Wendybird.

Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :

How about 86% Wisconsin Cheddar and 14% Emmenthaler Swiss? [Big Grin]

Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :

I've never been to the Melting Pot and always wanted to go. The price scared me away. Neither Porter nor I enjoy spending money. But I figured someday I would find a good excuse to go.

I am pretty sure there is Melting Pot in our local area. So if the Utah Hatrackers ever wanted to go, that would be a good enough excuse for me. [Smile]

Posted by Space Opera (Member # 6504) on :

I am so buying a fondue maker tomorrow.

space opera