January / February meetings

In January an unusually large number of FOTMC members traveled to Gimel to help former IUCN staffer Jean Michel Barras kick off the opening month of this new auberge.  It was the first time we had ever been offered provencal herbs in which to dip our cheese-soaked bread and it was great.

Last week we went back to the Auberge de Celigny which has new owners and a new, more modern look.  Again we were offered some dipping spices but this time more like paprika or nutmeg.  It looks like dipping is becoming the new 'must have' accessory for fondues in canton de Vaud.

and for some humour, check out this 1992 US patent application for a fondue fork holding apparatus

http://www.google.com/patents?hl=en&lr=&vid=USPAT5154116&id=V3smAAAAEBAJ&oi=fnd&dq=fondue&printsec=abstract#v=onepage&q&f=false  

December 2010 - Fondue in a yurt!

Well, who would have thought that Mongolians were experts in fondue OR that they would bother to bring that expertise to the heart of Geneva.  Ok, Ok, we didn't actually see any Mongolians in the restaurant but we did get fondue and we were in a yurt packed with Genevois who were just as curious as the FOTMC to see what was up.  Reviews will be forthcoming.

the history of fondue - born in 1825?

As you sit there savouring the warm melted mixture of gruyere, emmental, and what ever else, do you find yourself wondering when this amazing dish was first enjoyed?  check out this site for some more information - apparently a fondue receipe first appeared in 1825
- it may have started in Neuchatel
- the first fondues were mixtures of egg and cheese

for more info http://www.hertzmann.com/articles/2006/fondue/

Did you know they ate fondue in Vietnam?

I certainly wasn't aware that this Swiss specialty had spread that far.  For some light entertainment, check out this paper reviewing fondue cheese taste testing in Hanoi.

http://www.vjol.info/index.php/jst/article/viewFile/466/386  

warning for the faint-hearted - they consider Kiri, le Vache qui rit and party cubes as fondue cheese!

Opening of 2010/2011 season

What a record-breaking start to the 2010/2011 season - 19 trusty connoisseurs of melted cheese gathered in the Auberge Communale in Le Vaud.  Results still coming in from reviewers but one of the standout comments relate to the garlic!  Check out the photos below.

FOTMC scoring over the years

As we prepare for the 2010/2011 season, I have done a quick analysis of our scoring for fondues over the years. It appears that the average has fluctuated but tends a bit below 10 out of 12. Interestingly, the trend line for our maximum scores (in green) are decreasing over time while the trend line for the minimum scores (in red) is increasing

Now I'm in to this blog not sure what I do next. Bit of a fiddle to get it all registered and accepted! Ruth

FOTMC Blog

Well done Sue, if it was this much of a battle to access the Blog you must have had the patience of Job to set it up!

FOTMC overview

Now that we have concluded another season (our11th year of cheese indulgence) let's look at some overall winners and losers
Top fondues (scoring more than 11.5 out of a maximum of 12)
1. Auberge Communale in Saubraz (visit in 2000, note subsequent visits scored between 10-10.5)
2. Cafe de Marchairuz (visit in 2000)
3. Boeuf Rouge in Crassier (visit in 2000, subsequent visit in 2009 scored 10.2)
4. Les Trelasses in La Givrine (visit in 2004)
NB. all of these seem to be early in FOTMC history - maybe we weren't so fussy then?

Worst Fondues (scoring less than 8 out 12)
1. Auberge Communale in Arzier (score 5.6 during visit in 2000)
2. Cheval Blanc in Nyon (score 6.2 during visit in 2002)
3. Auberge de l'Union in Gimel (score 6.4 during visit in 2006)
4. Auberge Communale in Prangins (score 7.1 during visit in 2004)
5. La Barillette in Gingins (score 7.7 during visit in 2010)

After more than 10 years, the FOTMC has finally gone digital. We had a very late season meeting in La Barillette last week and the results were not that inspiring, even if the scenery over Lac Leman was. Check out the latest results of your taste testing from the 2009/2010 season. What do you think?