Fondue Recipe and Questions About Eggs, Broth, Beef

By Lynne Rossetto Kasper
Scripps Howard News Service

Dear Lynne: Please settle a debate. Where do different-sized eggs come from? Is it the chicken's breed?—Betting in Miami
Dear Betting: It reassures me to know others ponder these things. The main influence on egg size is the hen's age. Youngsters (10 or so months old) lay peewees, mature 20- to 24-month olds lay jumbo eggs. Extreme heat, crowding and poor nutrition can diminish egg size.

Dear Lynne: We love cheese fondue in restaurants, but my homemade ones are disasters. I always end up with cheese clumps swishing around in wine. Any suggestions?—San Francisco
Dear San Francisco: I have been there. A solution lies in two tidbits of science involving starch and acid. Both keep the cheese's protein molecules from bunching together. Cornstarch added to the wine encourages even melting. Lemon juice added to the cheese ensures lasting smoothness.

This recipe from a friend in Zurich illustrates the duo in action. She believes in starting the fondue on the stove in a non-reactive metal pot, but insists it be served in the classic ceramic pot called a "caquelon."

Christina's Swiss Cheese Fondue
Serves 2, multiplies easily

1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
1/2 clove garlic
1/2 cup dry white wine (Swiss Neuchatel or Sauvignon Blanc)
6 ounces Swiss Gruyere cheese, shredded
2 ounces Swiss Appenzeller or Emmantal cheese, shredded
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Generous pinch of fresh-ground nutmeg
Pinch of fresh ground black pepper
1/2 baguette of bread, cut into bite-sized pieces
About 3 tablespoons Kirsch or dry white wine

1. In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and water until smooth. Generously rub the inside of a 1-1/2 quart enameled or stainless steel-lined saucepan with garlic. Discard the garlic.

2. Pour in wine. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a bubble. Bubble 10 seconds, whisk in cornstarch and then, off the heat, whisk in cheeses in three additions, along with the lemon juice.

3. Set back over medium to medium-high heat and stir about 3 minutes, or until smooth. Season to taste with nutmeg and pepper. Turn into a ceramic pot, set over a low flame in the center of the table and dipping bread to eat.

4. Once cheese is gone, let a crust form on the pot's bottom. Stir in a splash of Kirsh or wine. Let it heat and mop up the bits of crust with bread.

Dear Lynne: Which canned chicken broth do you like? Is it a sin to ask?—Janie in St. Paul
Dear Janie: Not at all. In the real world, canned broth is a fact of life. Periodically we taste every brand we can find, which, of course, does not embrace every one available nationwide. Two standouts so far are College Inn Chicken Broth and Campbell's Healthy Request. I keep wishing an organic brand would top these, but it hasn't happened yet. Bring canned closer to homemade by simmering 30 minutes with chopped onion, carrot, celery, garlic and a little wine.

Dear Lynne: In the supermarket, how do you tell tough beef from tender? I am a real beginner cook.—Lost in the Meat Aisle
Dear Lost: Nearly every cut has a telltale word in its name revealing its origin on the steer. Where muscles work hard, meat toughens; where muscles work hardly at all, it remains tender. If you get down on your hands and knees (in private) and "walk" around, you'll know the differences.

Chewy (and usually flavorful) cuts come from legs (shank in beef speak), hips (round), neck and shoulders (chuck, with exceptional savor), chest (brisket) and belly (short ribs and flank).

Tender cuts are from the back, just behind the shoulder to the hip. Key words are "rib" and "loin," as in rib steak, rib eye, prime rib, short loin, tenderloin and sirloin. Cut a short loin into steaks for club steak, Delmonico, New York or Kansas City strip, T-bone and porterhouse.

Hidden bargains lie where rib and chuck sections meet. Chuck blade pot roast or steak has a big oval nugget of tender rib eye sitting against the cut's outside bones. Trim it away for half-priced rib steak. Freeze the rest for braising and stir-frying.

(Lynn Rossetto Kasper is host of "The Splendid Table", Minnesota Public Radio's national food show. Find recipes, station listings and more at www.splendidtable.org, or 800-537-5252.)