Fun with Fondue!

Cheese Fondue

When you’re not really in the mood for a meal, it’s time for “fondue!”  I love the stuff – all different kinds.  Several years ago, Gary bought me and electric fondue pot for Christmas.  It has become one of my favorite gifts ever.

When I do fondue at home, I usually buy cheese fondue in the refrigerated section of the grocery store (Alphenhaus is a good brand.)  Rub the inside of the pot with a garlic clove, then add a little wine and the package of fondue.  Stir, stir, stir until melted and delicious.  (If too stiff, just add more wine or whatever liquid you prefer.)  I generally cut up apples, toast bread pieces and serve bite size fresh vegetables to dip with.  (Be creative.  Good choices include:  broccoli, snow peas, cauliflower, carrots, apples, pears, sauted shrimp or chicken, crusty French bread, sour dough, rye, wheat, pumpernickel or focaccia.)  Serve with wine and Enjoy!  Great fun for a get together with friends.

  

My grandkids love to have fondue.  What kid doesn’t like cheese and eating with their hands!  Fun for a stay in movie night.  Also, a good way to get them to eat fresh vegy’s!

If you’re feeling adventurous, get a fondue cookbook.  The possibilities are endless! 

Gary and I have been to “Simply Fondue” and “The Melting Pot,” both in Dallas, several times.  Always a great time.  If you’ve never had fondue, check out both these restaurants.  (Their menus are available on the internet.)

They serve the entire meal – fondue style.  Cheese fondue as the appetizer.  You can pick from a variety of kinds … swiss cheese with garlic and wine, cheddar with beer, etc.  Served with a variety of fresh vegy’s and breads.  Next course would be the choosing the meat or fish.  Again, many combinations such as … filet, shrimp, chicken, etc.  There are several styles of cooking, deep frying or poaching.  They serve a variety of dipping sauces and coatings (tempura … )  Saving the best for last, desert!  You just can’t beat the chocolate fondue, served with a variety of fruits, marshmallows, angel food cake, etc.  YUM, YUM!  Run and go as fast as you can.

Kobe Steaks

One of my favorite places to eat is in Addison, called Kobe Steaks.  It’s always to fun to go there.  This restaurant seats family style, so if you’re not with a large group, you will be seated with other smaller parties.  Usually,  about 8 to a table.  You never know who you’re going to eat with, usually very interesting.  The food is excellent.  You are first served a bowl of soup, then a salad with wonderful garlic dressing.  Then the chef comes in with “the food.”

It’s always a good show.  The chef’s are very talented and accommodating.  Good place to take kids (not babies).  It’s kind of pricey, but enough for at least two meals!  Yum, yum

Big Shucks Oyster Bar

“Big Shucks” is a very casual, laid-back place.  When Gary and I were dating, we would go to “Aw Shucks” down on Lower Greenville, in Dallas.  It’s a small “hole-in-the-wall.”  Later, they expanded and opened two more places call “Big Shucks.”  I will go out on a limb to say that the new name is because the restrooms are on the inside at “Big Shucks!”

They have the best shrimp cocktail around.  It is served it in a mug.  This is the only place I’ve been to in the Dallas area where they operate on the honor system.  You go up to the counter and order your drinks and food.  They take down your order and name, writing it on the counter.  When ready, they call out your name.  You go up and get it.  Go back as often as you want, ordering more drinks and food.  When finished, go up to the cashier and tell her/him what you had (i.e. 3 domestic beers, 2 shrimp cocktails, catfish basket, etc.)  They add it up and you pay on your way out.  There’s a tip jar on the counter, tip as you like.  Remarkably, I’ve never seen anyone cheat on their order!  http://www.bigshucks.com

This is a bootleg recipe I found for Big Shucks shrimp cocktail:

Ingredients:  4 cups cooked small salad shrimp, 1/2 cup onion chopped fine, 1/2 cup tomato chopped fine, 1/2 cup cilantro chopped fine, 2 tsp Serrano peppers chopped fine, 2 avocados, 1 1/2 cup cocktail sauce and cayenne pepper.  Cocktail Sauce:  1 cup ketchup, 2 cups water, 2 TBS Worcestershire sauce and 2 TSB lemon juice.  After talking to some of the people who work there, it seems that they use Sprite instead of water for sauce.

Directions:  In a large bowl, combine 3 cups of the shrimp, onion, tomato, Serrano peppers and /4 cup of cilantro.  Mix well while adding cocktail sauce.  Add avocado and stir lightly.  Fill beer mug almost to the top with shrimp mixture.  Top mug with more cocktail sauce and a handful of remaining shrimp.  Garnish the top with a sprinkle of cayenne pepper, some cilantro and a lime wedge.  Mixing the sauce:  mix all ingredients in a small pitcher.