FONDUS

1 pint water
3-4 tbs. butter
Flour or corn meal
3/4 lb. cheese, grated
6 eggs

Put a pint of water, and a lump of butter the size of an egg, into a sauce pan; stir in as much flour as will make a thick batter, put it on the fire, and stir it continually till it will not stick to the pan; put it in a bowl, add three quarters of a pound of grated cheese, mix it well, then break in two eggs, beat them well, then two more until you put in six; when it looks very light, drop it in small lumps on buttered paper, bake it in a quick oven till of a delicate brown; you may use corn meal instead of flour for a change.

From The Virginia Housewife or, Methodical Cook, by Mary Randolph, 1860 edition.

Comment: This is an example of one of those delightfully confusing names which, when examined closely, turn out to be nothing like what you thought it was going to be when you first read it. Prepared as directed with flour, the result should be a sort of non-rising cheese biscuit. Made on the other hand with corn meal it would be a cheesy hushpuppy.

The final source of confusion, on which Mrs. Randolph gives us no guidance whatsoever, is the question of what sort of cheese to use here. Cheddar would seem like an obvious choice but just about any sort of hard or at least reasonably firm cheese should work well.

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