SC - Fondue

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Robyn.Hodgkin at affa.gov.au wrote:
> 
> Has anyone got any information on whether fondue are period?
> 
> Kiriel

The oldest reference to fondue (cheese, I assume you mean) under  that
name that I have seen and can document is in Jean-Anthelme
Brillat-Savarin's "Physiologie du Gout" [Anatomy of Taste], sometime in
the very early 19th century, maybe 1810 or so. His recipe is really for
cheese scrambled with eggs and wine until the cheese is melted and the
eggs slightly thickened, just creamy.

And now, in our unsubstantiated rumor department (this is the night for
that, isn't it?) I recall reading somewhere a story concerning
Landsknechts involved in some kind of peace talks, sharing a communal
meal of wine, wine and cheese pottage, and bread. Seems one side brought
the bread and wine, the other side brought the cheese (or you can make
up another combination, I guess) and each side was issued bread and
wine, with the pot of cheese melted in hot wine in the middle, on the
line of political demarcation, for dipping in the bread. My source is
probably James Beard, which makes it somewhat suspect without additional
information, rather like anything along similar lines that Jeff Smith
ever wrote or said.

Then again, the story about Franz Joseph and the potato is eerily
similar to the one about Jefferson and the tomato, and while Jefferson
probably did eat tomatoes at one time or another, the story as told
appears to be basically untrue, and I'd be somewhat surprised to see
documentation for the potato version. The French potato story, about the
botanist Parmentier, though, is well documented in contemporary accounts.
  
Adamantius
- -- 
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com
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