Happy Food

I think that fondue is just about the happiest of all food genres. What, really, is better than ooey-gooey melted goodness in the form of cheese or chocolate? And let's not forget that this ooey-gooey meltedness brings friends together too. I mean, the very nature of fondue is communal. And then there's the presentation: an adorable pot, complete with small forks, ready to skewer and dip perfectly-cut chunks of bread, fruit, and vegetables right into the happy gooey-ness. This all just makes me smile.

When Mandi and I finally settled on a fondue recipe to try, I was, well...happy. It mattered little that I don't own a fondue set. "I'll just make it in a regular pot," thought I. This wasn't a terrible idea. The fondue still turned out delicious, but it did lack in presentation. Serving the fondue in a bowl was a bit anti-climactic, I must admit. And to make matters worse (visually at least), the fondue wasn't exactly "pretty." Studded with chunks of crumbled chorizo, it looked rather chunky, had an orange-ish hue reminiscent of pepperoni & cheese pizza, and certainly lacked the glamour of traditional, silky smooth cheese fondues. But, my dad asked for the recipe, which I'm pretty sure is a first for me. So what this fondue lacks in appearance, it makes up for in tastiness. Personally, I'd rather eat a funny-looking but tasty fondue than a bland but beautiful one any day.

So, I think I am walking away from my fondue-making experience with a few pretty decent life lessons in my pocket.

1. Choose the unusual over the beautiful.

2. Own a fondue pot.

3. Make fondue. Eat fondue. Be happy.

The World Looks Mighty Good To Me

Severals years ago, Heather and I hosted a chocolate party. Sounds amazing doesn't it? Well, yes, in theory. A person can only eat so much chocolate before they start going into a coma from all the sugar. Sure, we tried to make it "healthy" by serving the chocolate with fruit...etc. But, in the end, we realized that it was just a little too much chocolate. Cheese, however, is a totally different subject in my opinion. I may even like cheese better than chocolate. It’s definitely one of my weaknesses. I mean, if you’ve been bestowed with the nickname “Little Cheese”, I’d say you have a cheese addiction. But, I’m ok with that. Frankly, I think cheese should be in everyone’s diet on a regular basis. All in moderation of course. It just makes people happy! As the song goes, “Whatever it is I think I see, becomes a block of cheese to me!” Ohh wait, that’s a tootsie roll isn’t it. Anyway, not only does cheese itself make people happy, but so does cheese fondue!

http://youtu.be/uaXk6PVXqJE

The Recipe: Chorizo Cheese Fondue

"White Chile con Queso Fondue"

from Not Your Mother's Fondue by Hallie Harron

12 oz. spicy Mexican chorizo sausage, crumbled

12 oz. queso fresco, crumbled

One 8-oz. package cream cheese, cubed

1 cup Mexican crema or sour cream

1/3 cup prepared pico de gallo

3 tablespoons tequila

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons water

Mexican hot sauce to taste (optional)

Place the chorizo in a large fondue pot over medium heat. As the sausage begins to cook, stir frequently to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pot. When the sausage is almost cooked, add the cheeses, crema (or sour cream), pico de gallo, and tequila. Keep whisking as the cheese melts. The mixture should become smooth after about 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in the water and add the mixture to the fondue. Stir until slightly thickened. Taste and add hot sauce if desired.

Serve immediately over low heat.

Suggested dippers: tortilla chips, quartered grilled flour tortillas, cherry tomatoes, jicama spears

Serves 6-8 (makes 5 cups)