fondre (to melt) in the past participle fondu (melted)

So we are going to skip ahead to Thurs evening (Nov. 11). Wed and Thurs were mostly filled with driving and business dribble. Granted, I spent most of the time in the most white, sterile room that I've ever been in; completely encased in a hooded jumpsuit and booties. Another time...
Thurs Night! Fondue Night! Now, let it be known, I've lived in WI all my life and readily admit I have never been the state's greatest consumer of cheese. In fact, it has only been recently since I've tried my hand at making cheese that I have been consuming cheese. At any rate, cheese is fucking delicious.
I was pretty pumped to have fondue, particularly in Swissland, the arguable origin of this fondre dish. Secondly, a co-worker, who had been in Swissland for the last two months was going to be present. In fact, he invited me, as it was a going away fondue dinner for him. We were acquaintances at best, but having been immersed in Swiss German the last three days, I considered him to be my best English speaking friend.
The fondue was amazing. I mean, it blew my mind. I made sure to sit next to the Swiss DBA (database administrator) from Roche. He looked like he clearly knew what was up (in this case I used age as my experience metric, 55 years old and clearly Swiss raised) and very graciously led me through this first fondue experience. Granted, eating fondue is not rocket science, you dip a piece of bread in melted cheese. I mean, it could stop there and still be amazing. But what I was after was those Swiss nuances, those little things that I wouldn't get going to the Melting Pot on the West side of Madison. No 1.: They brought out a Swiss Brandy called Kirsch, neat of course.
I was instructed that I should first dip the bread in the Kirsch and then into the fondue, followed by more Kirsch to wash it down. If I wasn't driving, this ritual would have been repeated several more times, several more times, several... No. 2 As the fondue started to dwindle, my mentor told the waiter to bring an egg. He cracked the egg into the remaining fondue and stirred it around until the egg and cheese caramelized onto the bottom of the pot. I was then encouraged to scrape the caramelized cheese from the base of the pot and enjoy. Oh did I enjoy. The closest comparison, in my very limited cheese consumption knowledge, would start with the caramelized cheese on the crust of a Chicago style pizza combined with the texture of a Host (aka the Body of Christ, trully or symbolized) at a Christian mass except embodying the very essence of how delicious consuming something Divine would be.




If you do not own this album, you should. This is by far my favorite album of 2010:



“They play heavy metal the old way, the exact way we enjoy it ourselves.”
- Fenriz, Darkthrone

Yup, they do and it is awesome.

Currently reading: The Bread Maker's Apprentice