<p>I recommend flour instead of cornstarch because it doesn’t need to get as hot to thicken and it is overheating the liquid that makes the cheese clump and get tough. Get your liquid hot before you start adding cheese. Mix the grated cheese with the flour and the add in very small amounts, stirring until melted before adding more.</p>
<p>I also recommend making it on the stove where you can control the heat better and then using the fondue set up to keep it hot. You may need to partially cover your sterno so it doesn’t get too hot.</p>
<p>You can make a decent cheese fondue using apple juice, or better yet cider, as a base. It is sweeter, but quite palatable.</p>
<p>If you use a milk base, it’s really more a cheese rarebit than fondue (rarebit can be made with a beer base, as well).</p>
<p>I like half and half Gruyere and Emmentaler (Swiss), but I’ve used all sorts of cheese with success.</p>
<p>What I want to know is how to make a decent Raclette here.</p>
<p>Raclette is even easier. You simply melt the Raclette cheese and pour it over what you like–usually prosciutto, salami/sausage, cornichon, potatoes and pickled onions. A Raclette set is ideal and can be bought in lots of kitchen supply stores but you can melt the cheese in any pan.</p>
<p>Hyperjulie, can’t imagine doing fondue without wine, but Trader Joe’s two buck Chuck works just fine!</p>
<p>Marite, you have me day dreaming of a real Raclette meal at a Swiss ski chalet. The real machine with a fire that slowly melts the huge block of cheese as you sit by it next to a roaring fire and defrost after a long day on the slopes with a good Cognac…</p>
<p>I’ve been doing a bit of google research, and on top of the non-alcoholic suggestions of milk and cider, I’ve found the following:</p>
<p>-Grape juice
-A tablespoon of white wine vinegar and enough water to match the amount of wine called for in the recipe
-Chicken stock</p>
<p>Any comments on which of these, including the ones previously suggested, would make the best fondue? I really can’t use the wine, not because of the cost issue, but because I can’t buy it and when I’m at school I’m not allowed to have it in my room because I’m underage. Though, maybe my RA would be willing to keep some cooking wine for me, as long as she could see I wasn’t drinking it (she’s of age). I’ll have to ask her.</p>
<p>I’d go with the chicken stock or a non-alcoholic wine. There are some that you should be able to buy but I like the idea of checking with the ra</p>
<p>Re kirsch and cherry brandy: kirsch is a colorless eau de vie. Don’t make the mistake of buying a red, sweet “cherry brandy” for this purpose. (Cherry Heering and Kijafa are good to drink, if you like liqueurs, but not in fondue!) Kirsch is also used in desserts such as a famous Zuger Kirschtorte (beatiful and rather fabulous in terms of multiple textures, but too sweet for me) and Black Forest cake, poured over fresh pineapple (yum!), etc. A little bit is a great addition to whipped cream. I make a truffle that has dried tart cherries soaked in kirsch.</p>
<p>The last time I made cheese fondue, my S objected violently to the presence of the kirsch, which was too alcoholic for him. (To be fair, I accidentally put in too much. )</p>
<p>We use a Cuisinart electric fondue pot and exactly follow the recipe for classic cheese fondue in the recipe booklet that came with the set except that we leave out the kirsch. Texture is smooth and rich, and taste is delicious.</p>
<p>I used a little crockpot that came with the big one I just got for a couple of parties we had over he holidays. It had no temp control so I had to turn it off to keep it from boiling the cheese fondue.
I just needed an extra place to keep some fondue warm</p>
<p>abasket, I have never had a regular nonelectric one so I have no basis of comparison, but I like the electric one very much. It is easy to use and easy to clean, and when we’ve used the recipes in the little booklet it came with results have been delicious. (We’ve used it for chocolate fondue as well as cheese fondue.)</p>
<p>thanks to getting enthused due to this thread, I made fondue for New Years Eve. I had bought both kids electric fondue pots(Rival…on sale) for Christmas and used the one belonging to the kid driving back to school instead of flying(don’t have my own).I used a basic swiss cheese recipe from the Melting Pot cookbook, which I had also bought them…last year we made a family outing to the Melting Pot for some occasion. It worked great! Needed an extension cord to reach the table but the temp control was excellent. Made it on the stove in an improvised double boiler and then transferred it to the pot. Used the flour method and grated the cheese (1/2 emmethaler,1/2 Guyere) with a box grater.Used the kirsch along with white wine. Used apples, bread, veggies to dip. Best dipper of all was cut up pumpernickel bagels,but you may need to be a New Yorker to have access to those!!!
Thanks people, for the inspiration. I think I’ll buy my own pot!</p>
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