Fondue Feasts

By: Maureen Callahan

Fondue goes in and out of style, but at heart it’s an ancient form of one-pot-cooking. And right now it's hot, hot, hot.

Fondue for All Reasons

Girls Night In: chocolate fondue, baby! Get your best-friends-forever in front of the widescreen, tune in a chick flick and pull out all the forbidden goodies: brownie bites, Oreos, marshmallows, angel food cake, and strawberries. Now get dippin’ and dishin'.

Little Dippers: cheese fondue. Let the kids pick and prepare the dippers (sliced sausage, mini hot dogs, pretzels, veggie bites) because sometimes everything is better with melted cheese. Make it nacho cheese fondue by adding bottled salsa. Make it a total dip experience by serving it at your kid's next pool party.

Double Dip: cheese fondue for dinner; chocolate fondue for dessert. Turn this into a romantic dinner for two with candlelight, music, wine, and lots of succulent nibbles to feed each other.

All Dips, All the Time: entertain buffet style by setting up several fondue stations. Let guests wander and cook their own meats, vegetables, and desserts.

Planning the Menu

Start the meal with a salad. It's not fondue, but it's a nice way to whet the appetite for the main course.

Pick at least two savory fondue options to give guests variety.

Pull out all the stops for dessert by taking a basic recipe and embellishing it with added liqueurs and inventive dippers.

Fondue Tricks and Tips

Best food size: Aim for 1-inch cubes, just enough for one or two bites.

Best fondue pot: Ceramics work best for showcasing dessert fondue; metal pots work best for cooking meats and vegetables in oil, wine, or broth.

Best temperature: A tea light candle or low flame (a warm 120 degrees) keeps cheese or dessert fondues at perfect melting temperatures. If you’re cooking meats in a pot of hot oil, the oil needs to be kept at 375 degrees to cook food quickly and evenly.

Best oil: peanut oil. A low smoke point makes it best for high frying temperatures.

Best wine: Something acidic (like Sauvignon Blanc) helps keep cheese fondue smooth.

Best fast fix: Cheese mixture clumping? Add a few drops of lemon juice. Chocolate or butterscotch mixture separating? Whisk in a little more cream.

Best fondue fork stand-in: Long wooden skewers. Find them at the supermarket along with other supplies for outdoor grilling.

Comments

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Kathryn

Dec. 21, 2009 9:16 pm

any suggestion for which oil to use to make fondue? since i'm allergic to Peanut/peanut oil kat

kendigirl

Dec. 23, 2009 6:27 am

We've often substituted veg. oil or canola oil instead of peanut. Just smokes easier. Have fun!

melissa

Dec. 29, 2009 2:18 pm

I have been doing a fondue New Year's Eve dinner for years, with a small group of close friends. We have a ball. Usually do a cheese fondue and a hot oil fondue with a variety of dipping sauces, meats, shrimp, tempura batter and veggies. Everyone has a great time trying different combination of things.

Tori

Dec. 29, 2009 3:41 pm

I'm going to a fondue party...they requested I bring an appetizer...any ideas what would go well with fondue?

M Peoples

Dec. 30, 2009 7:24 am

A helpful hint to Kathryn. My family has horrible peanut allergies. Most people do not know that the peanut oil you find at your local grocery store and used in most restaurants does not contain the protein that causes the allergic reaction due to the processing of the oil. But as always consult with your allergist or doctor, Hope this helps and Bon appetit.

pixicook

Dec. 31, 2009 6:09 am

To note the peanut allergy, refined peanut oil is actually non allergenic "Research shows that highly refined peanut oil, which has had all of the allergic proteins removed, does not cause an allergic response in severely allergic individuals. A controlled human study published in the British Medical Journal that tested refined peanut oil in 60 severely allergic individuals, found that “refined peanut oil did not pose a risk in any of the subjects” who were allergic to peanuts." We used it for deep frying our Thanksgiving turkey and had to do some research.

roknbetty8

Dec. 31, 2009 10:56 am

Sounds like a Mouth Burning Time!

Debbie

Jan. 31, 2010 12:36 pm

Instead of oils, try using broth and wine based cooking. Not only healthier, but they add a wonderful flavor. My husband used about 2 c Swanson's vegetable broth, about a cup of white wine and a bit of condended fish sauce (found in oriental section of grocery store), and it was wonderful.

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