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The summer is a great time of year for baking. The natural response to the warmer weather would be to enjoy the outdoors rather than baking in your kitchen, but it is quite the opposite.The summer is a great time of year for baking. The natural response to the warmer weather would be to enjoy the outdoors rather than baking in your kitchen, but it is quite the opposite. Although you are working in the heat of the oven, the snacks you can create are enough to cool you off while enjoying the process of creating deserts yourself. The countless flavors that are fitting for the summer atmosphere will make you forget about the heat in the kitchen. Many baked goods also do well when served cold or frozen, making them perfect to help you cope with and enjoy the summer.

When it comes to baking in the summer, fruit is often the centerpiece. Strawberries, mangoes, limes and a wide variety of melons are commonplace. Homemade cream mixed with berries also finds its way into many summertime desserts. Muffins and pastries with exotic fruit flavors also stand out this time of year. Then there are the cakes. From decadent to fun, there is an abundance of variety available when it comes to summertime cakes.

Using fruit for baking is wildly popular in the summer. The sweet juicy flavors refresh the palate and provide a wonderful touch to recipes that fit the warm weather. Making jam is also popular in the summer. Taking your favorite fruits and turning them into jams and preserves is not only delicious, but also relatively easy. It is a baking activity fit for the entire family. If you really want to make the activity outstanding, bake your own bread to go along with the jam. You can even bake the bread over a fire when you are out camping for a perfect culinary adventure. Pies are also a popular use for sweet, summertime fruits. If a classic pie does not quite fit your style, you can use piecrusts, cookie dough or even basic pizza dough to make fruit pizza. Make the dough yourself, use yogurt or a similar spreadable food for your sauce and spread fruit around the dough to make an irresistibly sweet delight.

Muffins and pastries are also very popular baked goods for the summertime. Mixing your favorite fruits into your favorite variety of muffin dough can make a perfect summer breakfast. Peaches, strawberries, raisins and bananas make for wonderful ingredients in your muffins and pastries with these fruits are a perfect baked good for your sweet tooth. Kiwi, pineapple and blueberries also go wonderfully in your muffins and pastries in the summertime.

A great part of summer baking is cakes. Fresh fruits find their way into cakes as well. Banana cakes, strawberry shortcake, pineapple cakes and others are all extremely popular when the weather heats up. Fruit filled cheesecakes also tend to be baked frequently in the summertime. Including ice-cream with your cakes is a great way to keep everybody cool. Another summertime trend is making cakes in exotic shapes. Whether it is a watermelon cake both in flavor and in design or a towering castle of confectionary delight, the options for cake design in the summer are infinite. Other popular elements of design are flowers, butterflies, vines and collections of fruit.

As if the fruit muffins, pastries and cakes are not enough, summertime baking also features includes ice cream. Bake some French toast or Belgium waffles then add your favorite ice cream, fresh fruits and any other toppings you may enjoy. You will have yourself a dish to cool the summer heat and delight your taste buds simultaneously.

When you have exhausted these recipes, you can try making your own scones or fried dough. Another option is to make your own jam to go with your dough. If there is still more that you want to do, try fondue. Melt some chocolate or peanut butter and add in your homemade jams, this allows you have all the dips you could need. Bake some fried dough, mix in fresh fruit, and dip it all together to liquefy your dessert.

Baking in the summer has endless possibilities. However, in the end it all boils down to using a wide variety of fresh fruits. Whether you are making jam, bread, muffins, pastries, and cakes or enhancing your ice cream, the key to baking in the summer is in the fruit.

I’m trying to make a list of authentic, indigenous Swiss foods, but many of their foods are adapted from surrounding countries (Germany, France, Austria, Italy). Besides raclette and fondue, what other foods are originated from Switzerland?

Hosting an Easy Fondue Party is easy. First you have to decide what type of fondue party to have. You can either do a sit down party where everyone gathers around a table or you can do a buffet party where fondue pots are set up in various locations around the house.

If you decide to host a sit down fondue party, limit the number of guests to 8 or 10 as everyone needs to be able to reach the fondue pots. If you want to host more people, choose the buffet party and set up pots around the house.

Once you determine the type of party and the number of people you will invite, it is time to organize your fondue equipment and select your recipes.

Fondue Pots

There are many styles to choose from but basically it comes down to the heating source and the size of the pot.

Electric Pot — Rival Fondue Pots are reliable and work well for any kind of fondue party. They are convenient and easy to use because you do not have to worry about the heating source and their non-stick interior makes clean up a breeze.

Sterno Pot — You will find several sterno fondue pots on the market. Rachel Ray, the Food Network host, has a series of sterno pots in various colors which work especially well when you do not want to worry about people tripping over electric cords. The sterno units last for several hours too.

Tea Light Pot — I especially like fondue pots that use a tea light for the heat source. You can buy a huge bag of tea lights very cheaply at any craft store and you can find the pots in varying sizes so they work well with savory and dessert fondues.

If you are going to host fondue parties regularly, it is a good idea to have several different pots available so that you are ready for any situation.

Next, you need to choose your recipes. For a party of 8, serve 2 or 3 savory fondue recipes and 1 dessert recipe.

Savory Recipe — Garlic Cream Cheese Fondue

1/3 cup onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons Canola oil
2-8oz. packages cream cheese, cubed
1/2 cup milk
8 oz. sour cream
1 teaspoon dry mustard
Dippers such as Italian bread, apples, broccoli, steamed potato chunks

In a heavy saucepan, saute onion and garlic in oil until translucent.

Add cream cheese, milk, sour cream and mustard and stir until melted.

Pour mixture into a fondue pot set to low and serve with dippers. This one is fantastic served with bread and potato chunks.

Dessert Recipe – Chocolate Caramel Fondue

12 Turtles or another chocolate caramel candy
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Dippers such as pound cake, strawberries, shortbread cookies

Coarsely chop Turtles and place in a microwavable bowl. Add whipping cream and cinnamon.

Microwave on medium heat for about 1 minute, stir and then cook another 30 seconds or until candy is completely melted.

Pour into a fondue pot and set to low. Serve warm with dippers.

The most important thing to remember about hosting an Easy Fondue Party is to keep it casual. That is what fondue parties are all about. It is what your guests expect. Good food, good company, casual environment.