Winter is coming, and I’m thinking of getting a fondu pot. Not interested in an electric model, my old home has very few outlets.
Ceramic vs cast iron? Style? Brand?
Thinking one that could go from stove to table burner would be ideal, but I’ve never had one before. What would you recommend?
Meat or cheese please?
sorry I corrected your spelling. I’m a bit nutty that way.
For cheese, I prefer an ECI cast iron caquelon. It can be warmed on the hob and then it retains the heat really well. Mine is Ikea, purchased in 2008 (I think French made). I’ve been eyeing the Emile Henry Flame fondue pot – on sale at Sierra Trading Post. I’ve eaten, but never cooked in, ceramic pots. However, I think the low and wide shape is better for cheese. The Ikea is taller and has the fork rests, which are convenient but sharing can be tough. I was gifted a stainless steel one and it was not good – probably better for chocolate or broth (fondue chinoise).
I just purchased some Vacherin Fribourgeois (hard to find in California) this weekend and look forward to some fondue moitie-moitie soon.
Cheese.
Hi, SP1:
I have the Le Creuset enameled iron one. I love it for small-batch deep frying, but hate it for fondue. Its shape and volume are nice, and the steel stand is OK, but the alcohol burner is pretty much guaranteed to scorch the contents in tabletop fondue use. If this is your intended use, i.e., with a traditional rechaud, I would either buy something different or get a very thick diffuser plate.
OTOH, if your use is directly on a portable induction hotplate, AND it has fine/low enough settings, you can probably do really well with it. Directly over a flame, not so much.
Aloha,
Kaleo
Thanks! I looking to do pretty much cheese only, so not going with the Le Creuset will save me some money.
Interesting about the Le Creuset version. The Ikea one forms a perfect “religieuse” at the bottom – it was a full kit with rechaud. Normally the venting control does a good job of regulating the flame. I also use Swissmar gel fuel.
Staub has one as well, but I’ve only admired it from afar.
