Please do bring on the cheese fondue

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Ah, cheese fondue! The aroma of meltingly pungent cheese and wine - bubbling gently and ready for dippers of bread. It's a romantic dinner for two, or a wonderful ice-breaker for a party or get-together. It's the perfect meal to foster intimate conversation and create lasting memories of good times by all.

Lots of Pots

Cheese fondue can be used as a meal, or as an appetizer. The pots made for cheese fondue are of heavy, heat resistant earthenware or heavy metal. A controllable heat unit that maintains low, even heat is what keeps the cheese melted and slightly bubbly without burning the cheese or over heating it. You want the consistency to be smooth and sauce-like.

If you don't have a fondue pot, you can also use a casserole dish or one of ceramic material - it must be heat resistant! Use it over a well-regulated alcohol, canned heat, or butane flame. You can also try it over an electric hot plate or candle warmer, although this is not recommended! Other types of fondue pots are the classic fondue bourguignonne pan, electric fondue pots and chafing dishes.

Control Your Heat!

If your heat source isn't manageable, you will end up with cheese that cools too much and the result is a big glob of hardened cheese that becomes undunkable. If your heat source is too hot, the cheese ends up being stringy and starts to separate into a globby, gooky mess.

It's not as hard as it seems. That's why making a small investment into a real fondue pot is worth it. Your fondue pot usually comes packaged with the right style of forks, your controllable heat source and a pan that was made for this kind of cooking.
Okay, ready to try out a great cheese fondue recipe? Look no further! I have them all right here for you. Create your own memories. Make your guests smile. Treat your family to something entirely different than Hamburger Helper. You'll be happy you did!

What you'll need:

- 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cup of buttermilk

- 1 lb. Swiss cheese (diced or shredded)

- 3 Tbsp flour

- 1/2 tsp dry mustard

- 1 clove of garlic (halved)

- Keilbasa sausage or other dippers*

- Asparagus Tips or other dippers*

- Fondue pot or equivalent

If you choose to use processed Swiss cheese, just be aware that it tends to thicken up more readily than natural cheese and normally needs to be thinned if it stands very long.
First, heat the buttermilk and garlic halves in a pot. Once the buttermilk is heated through, remove the garlic halves. Don't bring to boiling point. Then combine the cheese, flour, and seasoned salt. Add to the hot liquid by small handfuls and stir until all the cheese is uniformly melted and blended.

Next, place the buttermilk cheese sauce mixture over a low flame (your canned heat or equivalent) to keep the cheese simmering gently - you don't want it to boil! You might find you'll need to add a little more of whatever liquid you have left to keep the cheese properly thinned and for a good dipping consistency.

This yummy recipe serves 5 or 6 as an appetizer and easily serves 2 for a meal. For a variation on the theme, try Swiss Cheese Dipping Sauce found on my web site. (See information below)

*Some other dipper ideas are small cubes of cooked ham and toast to dip into the melted cheese. Chill your tender asparagus spears and serve with the Keilbasa. Can also be served with cherry tomatoes and rye bread slices.

At the table dip your dippers into the cheese and use the rye bread to catch the drips from pot to plate. YUMMY!

Enjoy!

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From the heartland to the table dine in with fresh regional tastes of the nation

Demand for wholesome, sustainable food from American land is gaining momentum as Americans become increasingly aware of their food's composition and origin. Industry experts agree: Natural and domestic are two key criteria for food consumption and will remain on-trend for years to come.

American Lambs, produced in nearly every state across America and available fresh year-round, are raised on a high-quality natural diet and are free of growth hormones, offering a tender, mild flavor that fits in perfectly with this movement. In fact, according to a recent Synovate study, consumers prefer American Lamb, ranking it superior in terms of quality, taste and healthfulness to imported lamb. In keeping with the preferences of U. S. consumers, domestic producers raise American Lamb to ensure the highest-quality product with a consistently mild flavor and higher meat-to-bone ratio.

Chefs across the nation respond to the growing demand for fresh, natively grown ingredients with inventive spins on close-to-home, regional cuisines. From the depths of the Southwest to the heart of the Big Apple, chefs demonstrate how lamb's versatility and savory flavors harmonize beautifully with cuisines deeply rooted in American heritage. To help expand this trend to the home, acclaimed chefs have provided ideas for dining in with a variety of inventive American Lamb dishes that pay tribute to regional cuisines from across the nation, including Floribbean, Midwest, Southwest and Classic New York:

• Floribbean: The infusion of Floridian, Latin and Caribbean cultures has introduced an innovative cuisine that treats America to savory meats combined with sweet fruit flavors and straight-from-the-garden side dishes and garnishes. Sear a boneless lamb loin marinated in a guava or citrus glaze. Serve with calypso rice and a fruit salsa.

• Midwest: Midwestern cuisine continues to change with its seasons, from sheltering stews to backyard burgers. For a one-pot meal that's great for entertaining and tastes just as great the next day, try serving a lamb loin roasted with carrots, celery, potatoes and turnips.

• Southwest: Southwestern fare is light, zesty and fun. These dishes are easy to create and simple to share. Grilled lamb with salsa verde is perfect when serving a large group. Butterflied lamb shoulder is tender and flavorful once marinated in spicy salsa and tossed on the grill.

• Classic New York: As the indisputable restaurant capital of America, some of the city's most enduring scenes are upheld by American culinary classics such as the grilled rack of lamb, New York strip and garlic mashed potatoes. A roasted rack of lamb with a rosemary rub is easy to prepare and provides the perfect crowd pleaser.

Southwest Lamburger With Golden Tomato-Mango Ketchup

Recipe from Chef Sandy Garcia

4 servings

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 10 to 12 minutes

1 pound ground American Lamb

1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots

1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic

1 tablespoon chopped roasted poblano or pasilla chile pepper

1 tablespoon chopped mixed fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, parsley leaves)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

4 hamburger buns

Golden Tomato-Mango Ketchup recipe follows

Combine all ingredients, mixing well. Make into four 1/2-inch-thick patties.

Grill over coals covered with grey ash for 5 to 6 minutes per side. Place lamb patty on each bun and top with golden tomato-mango ketchup.

Golden Tomato-Mango Ketchup

2 teaspoons canola oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic

4 yellow tomatoes, chopped

1 mango, peeled and chopped

2/3 cup white wine or chicken broth

1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon white pepper

In medium skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sautй for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and mango, cook for 5 minutes. Blend in wine or broth, vinegar, salt and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes. Cool. Place in blender and blend until smooth.