But today, I'd like to comment on the activities of Friday night- that going out to dance on my birthday, I got ill. Don't know for sure it was the gluten, could have just been the food. Every time we eat at the Times Bar and Cafe (Minneapolis) we come down with some sort of intestinal distress. So, I'm pretty sure it's not gluten, since everyone gets it. This is unfortunate because their meat and fondue is really quite good (it's the cream sauces that everyone gets sick from- anything that isn't piping hot when it comes to your table...hmmm...shocking, huh?).
Now, fondue is historically a cheese and wine dip that IS served piping hot, in fact, over a Sterno burner (those are fun, but on with the story), was super popular during the 70's, and it's origin is shared between the Swiss (for inventing the pot it's made it) and the french (who put the sauce together in the pot). The loose interpretation of this dish includes cooking meats in boiling oil in this pot (I actually got a forehead burn from that one birthday- at the Times, no less), and it also includes molten chocolate, where you did cakes.
Now, fondue is actually VERY easy to make GF because the only thing that's in the sauces are thickeners, like flour, which are easily substituted out. You also don't need a fondue pot or fondue forks (but it's SOOO much trendier to do it that way- go to the Good Will or a garage sale of people who lived in the 70's...or if you're younger, borrow your parents). Crockpots work great, as well. If you do use the Sterno, PLEASE be careful. The tins are incredibly hot.
Mom's Gluten Free (GF) Cheese Fondue
1 garlic clove, halved
2C white wine (something dry: sav blanc or sake or pinot grigio)
1lb swiss cheese or Jarlsburg or Gruyere, shredded
3 Tbsp cornstarch
3 Tbsp Kirsch brandy or cooking sherry
Salt and black pepper to taste
1. Rub the saucepan with the garlic clove halves
2. Pour the white wine in the pot and simmer over low heat- DO NOT BOIL. Just warm it up.
3. Stir in cheese.
4. In a cup or bowl, dissolve and mix the cornstarch into the brandy/sherry.
5. Add the cornstarch mixture to the cheese mixture, slowly. I recommend whisking this in.
6. Add the salt and pepper (start out with 1/4 tsp each and go from there).
7. Transfer to your heated fondue or crock pot- do not let cool.
Dipper Choices:
Boiled Potato Chunks (particularly red potatoes because they hold together better)
Broken Rice Cakes (oh, you don't know what you're missing!)
Salami
Sauteed Beef Cubes
Sauteed Chicken Cubes
Fresh Vegetables
Other cheese cubes (my personal favorite)
Irish Lass' Gluten Free (GF) Chocolate Fondue
1 1/2C white, granulated sugar
1/2C butter (or a high quality margarine)
1/3C evaporated milk
12oz (1pkg) of the chocolate chip of your choice (even white!)
7oz marshmallow creme
1 tsp vanilla ext (think penzey's!!!)
1. In a saucepan, melt the butter, then add the sugar and milk and bring to a full boil. Stir in only ONE direction (trust me).
2. Boil over medium heat for 5 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and add the chocolate chips, marshmallow creme, and vanilla, stirring in ONE direction.
4. Transfer to your warmed fondue pot or crockpot, or keep warm the in the saucepan you have. Once this chocolate cools, it will not be the same if you heat it back up.
Dipper Choices:
Marshmallows (YUMMMMMMMMM)
Stale Rice Bran Crackers (together with the marshmallow, makes a GF smore!!)
Stale GF cookies (make your own or such cookies like Pamela's)
Strawberries
Banana Cubes
Mango Cubes
Cherries
Caramel Cubes (like Milk Maids)
(I recommend all fruits EXCEPT pineapple and the orange family, as the citric acid in these just curdles the chocolate)
And that's the goodie of the day!
Happy Eatings!
The Irish Lass
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