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Fondue and Dog Treats
Today at Gourmet Gallery, we made fondue - cheese, chocolate, and caramel - and dog treats. The fondue was to satiate my first hankering for holiday warmth. The dog treats were to satisfy my daughter’s curiosity and to take home to our little, yappy, black dog whom we consider one of us.
The cheese fondue was fabulous with the dog treats. Yes, really. We all tasted the dog treats. They were, after all, made from people-friendly ingredients like flour, eggs, chicken broth, and baking soda. (Recipe to follow.) So, we feasted on a rather biscuit-like bread with cheese fondue for our lunch. The local cheese- and dog-lovers were equally as excited as we were. A meal fit for royalty.
Fondue is a French word for “melted,” according to Fondue by Robert Carmack. It originated in the Swiss Alps, and the traditional fondue is a blend of cheese melted with alcohol. Today all sorts of things can go into fondue, from vegetables and fruits to meat and seafoods. Carmack says that the Swiss divide fondues into five distinct categories: 1. Cheese (somewhat obvious). 2. Burgundian (Raw meats are cooked in simmering oil served with a variety of sauces). 3. Bacchus (Wine is used instead of oil to cook thinly sliced meats.) 4. Asian (Boiling water or broth is used to cook the meat in a large donut-shaped “pot.”) 5. Chocolate (also somewhat obvious). Each is distinct and delicious.
Our chocolate fondue experiment was actually nothing more than melted Reese’s Peanut Butter cups mixed with whipping cream. Of the three, this was my daughter’s favorite. I might choose something a bit more sophisticated for a party, but we had Reese’s in the pantry. The Rocky road fondue recipe that follows is a sure bet. Both of the following fondue recipes are adapted from Robert Carmack’s cookbook Fondue.
Rocky Road Fondue
9 oz milk chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup cream
1 tablespoon strong brewed coffee
1 tablespoon rum (optional)
4 oz large marshmallows
1/2 cup unsalted mixed nuts, lightly toasted and finely ground
Additional marshmallows, lady fingers, cookies, graham cracker sticks for dipping.
Combine chocolate, milk, cream, coffee and rum in a microwave-proof bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir and microwave in short intervals and stir until thoroughly melted and well-blended. Pour into fondue pot. Cut 4 oz of marshmallows in half and gently incorporate into chocolate mixture. Sprinkle a few nuts on top. This is a creative and fun dessert for about six people. A nice dry champagne or sparkling wine would be a lovely accompaniment.
Fondue Mexicana
1 cup beer
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
6 small fresh chilies, seeded an dcoarsely chopped
1/2 bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 lb Montery Jack cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Pinch of ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
Tortilla chips for serving
In a heavy, medium saucepan, heat beer over high heat until it foams. Add lemon juice, chilies and bell pepper. Reduce heat to medium. Toss cheese with the flour, paprika, and cumin, then add to the pan, one handful at a time, stirring to melt each handful. Add salt. Transfer to a warm fondue pot. Serve with tortilla chips. Serves 4-6.
Basic Bones Dog Treats
From The Ultimate Dog Treat Cookbook by Liz Palika
Makes 25-30 3”-long dog bone-shaped cookies
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup nonfat dry milk
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup low-sodium beef or chicken bouillon powder
2 large eggs
1 cup warm water.
Preheat oven to 350 degree. Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Slowly add the warm water and eggs and mix well. The dough will be stiff. Use your hands to knead the dough until it is smooth and easy to handle, and then form it into a ball. Place the ball on a floured breadboard. Roll the dough out to 1/4-3/8” thick. Use a 3” dog bone-shaped cookie cutter (or any other cookie cutter that your dog likes) to cut out the dough. Place the bones on greased cookie sheets. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
These treats pair especially well with a classic Neuchatel fondue and a dry white wine, or with a big bowl of water and a pat on the head.
All of the recipes today can lend to a cozier, happier, more animal-friendly holiday season.
Happy Cooking, Eating, and Petting!
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By Ruan Pearson
November 13, 2008 9:16 AM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
This is the best blog of all. Very informative, very well written and very humorous. What about cooking classes?????
By Karyn Miller
November 15, 2008 11:30 AM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
Ruan: I think my mom emailed you with information about our classes. You are supposed to be on our email list, but in case I have dropped the ball, please check out our website at www.GourmetGalleryWaco.com. The “Classes” section either at the top or in the middle of the Home page should lead you to our schedule. While November is wrapping up and we have a very few scheduled for December, January will begin the first in a series of regional cuisine classes. That schedule should be posted toward the middle of December. Thanks! Karyn