Driven by Fondussimo’s perforated baskets, the fondue revolution advocates (us included!) often claim that every single ingredient can now be prepared in a good fondue broth. But is that really true?
The vast majority of foods will indeed be delicious in a reinvented fondue, and there are even a few staples that are absolute stars of this new way of eating. That being said, exceptions do exist, and some ingredients simply don’t cut it in a broth!
The rule of thumb is to avoid lumping all the ingredients of a category together. Here are a few foods that either don’t belong in a broth, or that will require a bit of adaptation to unleash their full potential!
Some cheeses
Soft-ripened cheeses, such as Brie, will melt in the broth. Fresh unpressed cheeses, such as ricotta, will tend to scatter in your concoction, which is less than ideal. And aged cheeses like parmesan and sharp cheddar will keep their shape, but their outer rind will shrivel, while their core remains hard!
You’re a cheese enthusiast and feel a little discouraged by what you’ve just read? Hold on! For great tips on how to enjoy all these delicious cheeses in a fondue, click right here!
Some meats
Red meat cuts that require an extensive cooking time to loosen their tougher tissues (shoulder, chuck) aren’t the greatest for a fondue, due to the time they’ll take to cook.
We also do not recommend rare game meats. Although they taste delicious, undercooking them can present a health risk, especially if people with a weaker immune system are at the table (children, pregnant women, the elderly…) Finally, the flaky flesh of some white fish, such as sole, tends to explode in the broth, so it’s a big no-no!
Soft bread
Slices of commercial sandwich bread could also disintegrate in the broth, leaving you with a very unappetizing mixture (we’ve tested it, we speak from experience!).
We recommend that you use crusty bread for your fondue, and you will achieve excellent results by choosing a good sourdough bread!
Large pieces of dense vegetables
Big cubes of carrot, celeriac or similar denser veggies will take forever to cook! Choose more delicate cuts: thin slices, ribbons, zoodles… Let your imagination take over!
Baby potatoes
They also take a long time to cook, and their skin prevents the flavours of the broth from properly penetrating them! But do not despair, fellow potato aficionados, once again, there is a solution! Whether it’s for these good old spuds or other foods that cook a little too slow, all you have to do is precook them before plunging them in the broth, and you’re good to go!
Now, we agree that our list of ingredients to avoid in a broth isn’t huge and that it contains lots of foods that can still be prepared in a fondue, given some minor adjustments. The fondue revolution really allows the enjoyment of an unprecedented diversity of ingredients! Sometimes, all it takes is a few simple adjustments to create an experience that is as delicious as it’s efficient!
