Fondue Fun: A Tasty Guide To Hosting A Dinner Party

Fondue is a fun and interactive way to entertain guests at a dinner party. It's a great way to get your guests involved in the cooking process and makes for a memorable evening. Fondue is a dish in which small pieces of food are dipped into a hot sauce or cooking medium such as oil or broth. The traditional Swiss recipe involves cheese mixed with wine, served with stale bread. However, you can get creative with your fondue, incorporating international themes or unique dippers. When planning your fondue party, consider the number of guests, as fondue pots tend to be small. You'll want to provide each guest with a fondue fork and a regular appetizer fork, along with a small plate. For a fun twist, colour code the forks to prevent mix-ups! Get creative with your dippers—while bread, apples, and cured meats are classic choices, you can also offer shrimp, steak, asparagus, or even french fries. Don't forget to include some unique cocktails to take the party up a notch!

Fondue recipes: cheese, chocolate, and international twists

Fondue is a fun and interactive way to enjoy a meal with friends and family. The basic concept of fondue is simple: small pieces of food are dipped into a pot of hot cheese, chocolate, or other sauces. However, there are endless variations of recipes and dips to elevate your fondue experience. Here are some ideas for cheese and chocolate fondue recipes, as well as international twists to impress your guests at your next fondue party.

Cheese Fondue Recipes

The classic Swiss cheese fondue is a popular choice and for a good reason. It's smooth and rich, with the combination of Gruyère cheese, white wine, cracked black pepper, and nutmeg. You can also experiment with different types of cheese to create your unique fondue, such as zesty cheddar, macaroni and cheese, spinach artichoke, or beer cheese fondue. Here's a basic recipe to get you started:

Basic Cheese Fondue

• 4 cups (1 pound) of grated Gruyere cheese
• 2 tablespoons of cornstarch
• 1 to 2 teaspoons of kirsch
• Pepper and nutmeg to taste
• Sliced sausage of your choice (bratwurst, kielbasa, Italian sausage)
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 1 cup cauliflower florets
• 1 red pepper, cut into strips
• 2 celery stalks, cut into sticks

In a large bowl, toss the cheese and cornstarch together. Bring wine to a simmer in a large pot and gradually stir in the cheese, keeping the heat low. Add kirsch and season with pepper and nutmeg to taste. Transfer to a fondue pot and enjoy with bread cubes and apple slices.

Chocolate Fondue Recipes

Chocolate fondue is a crowd favourite and is incredibly easy to make. Simply heat some cream, remove from heat, and stir in chopped chocolate until melted. Add a liqueur of your choice, transfer to a fondue pot, and keep warm. Serve with assorted fresh and dried fruits, pound cake, marshmallows, or anything your heart desires!

International Twists on Fondue

Fondue is a versatile dish that can be easily adapted to incorporate international themes and flavours. Here are some ideas to spice up your next fondue party:

• Mexican-inspired cheese fondue with jalapeños and Monterey Jack cheese.
• Irish-influenced fondue with Guinness and Irish cheddar.
• Southern-style "Mississippi Mudslide" dessert fondue with Baileys and bourbon-infused chocolate.
• Chinese hot pot with fragrant broth, choice cuts of steak or seafood, and vegetables.
• French fondue (Fondue Savoyard) with Comté, Beaufort, and Emmental cheeses, nutmeg, pepper, and a cracked egg.

Dippers: bread, meat, fruit, and vegetables

When it comes to a fondue dinner party, the dippers are just as important as the fondue itself. The best fondue parties have a variety of dippers for guests to choose from. Here are some ideas for bread, meat, fruit, and vegetable dippers to get you started:

Bread

• Crusty baguette
• Sourdough
• Rye
• Cheesecake Factory brown bread
• French bread
• Cubed bread
• Pound cake
• Pretzels
• Pretzel sticks
• Tortellini pasta
• Crostini

Meat

• Shrimp
• Sausage
• Steak
• Chicken
• Meatballs
• Salmon
• Prime rib
• Prosciutto
• Cornichons
• Cured meats
• Bratwurst
• Kielbasa
• Italian sausage
• Thinly sliced steak tips

Fruit

• Apples
• Strawberries
• Bananas
• Mandarin oranges
• Pears
• Marshmallows
• Dried fruit

Vegetables

• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Carrots
• Celery
• Red pepper
• Asparagus
• Brussels sprouts
• Fingerling potatoes
• Green beans
• Summer squash
• Mushrooms
• Zucchini
• Cucumber

Drinks: beer, wine, cocktails, and non-alcoholic options

When it comes to drinks, there are several options to consider depending on the type of fondue you are serving. If you are serving cheese fondue, a few beverage options to consider include:

• Beer: Kolsch, Pilsner, or IPA beers. These lightweight beers complement the cheese fondue well.
• Wine: Riesling, Chenin Blanc, or Gruner Veltliner. A high-acid, chilled white wine can counterbalance the creamy richness of the cheese fondue.
• Sparkling Wine: Prosecco is a crisp and refreshing choice that pairs well with the heaviness of the cheese fondue.

If you are serving chocolate fondue, you might want to offer the following drinks:

• Red Wine: Pinot Noir or a dessert wine can stand up to the sweetness of the chocolate.
• Beer: A milk stout or porter, with their robust flavours, can make a perfect match for chocolate fondue.
• Spirits: The natural sweetness of bourbon whiskey, for instance, can blend beautifully with the chocolate.

In addition to these drink options, you could also offer non-alcoholic beverages such as sparkling water, fruit juices, or mocktails. It is important to provide a variety of drink options to cater to different preferences and ensure your guests have a well-rounded and enjoyable fondue experience.

Equipment: fondue sets, pots, and extension cords

When it comes to equipment, there are a few key items you'll need to host a fondue dinner party. Firstly, a fondue set is essential. This typically includes a cast-iron pot, a stand, and fondue forks or skewers. If you're using a bamboo skewer, you can colour-code the ends with markers to help your guests keep track of their skewers. You can also provide each guest with a regular appetizer fork and a small plate. If you're serving a side salad, consider using dinner plates instead.

If you're using an electric fondue pot, you'll need access to an electrical outlet, so make sure you have extension cords on hand. Electric fondue pots are a safer option than those fuelled by liquid fuel or fuel paste, but they do limit your location choices. Alternatively, you can use a cordless fondue pot, which offers more flexibility in terms of placement but may not keep the cheese as hot.

If you don't have a fondue pot, you can use a small ceramic dish or cast-iron pot for cheese fondue. For broth or hot oil fondue, you'll need a heat source like an electric burner or hot pot. Secure the cords of electric pots to prevent tripping hazards, and ensure you don't overload your electrical circuits, especially with vintage pots.

Etiquette: no double-dipping, use of fondue forks, and cross-contamination

When it comes to fondue party etiquette, there are a few key things to keep in mind to ensure your dinner party is both enjoyable and safe for your guests.

Firstly, remind your guests that the proper way to eat fondue is to use their long fondue fork to dip their food into the cheese, oil, or broth. They should then place the food on their small plate and use their regular fork to eat. This is important for hygiene reasons, as it prevents double-dipping and stops people from eating directly from the fondue fork.

Secondly, to avoid cross-contamination, especially with meat fondues, guests should be instructed not to place any raw meat on their dinner plates. Instead, they should transfer the raw meat directly from the serving bowl to the fondue pot. It is also important to keep raw and cooked meat separate and to wash hands, utensils, and surfaces after handling raw meat.

Additionally, it is good practice to provide each guest with two fondue forks, especially if you are serving multiple types of fondue. This allows them to cook different types of food without mixing flavours. If you are serving cheese fondue, it is recommended to provide guests with a fondue fork that has three prongs. For meat fondue, forks should have two prongs, and for chocolate fondue, the forks are typically shorter than regular forks.

Finally, to make it easier for your guests to keep track of their forks, consider using fondue forks with coloured tips or providing coloured napkins to coordinate with each guest's set of forks.

Frequently asked questions