Fondue

Fondue is the delicious French Swiss dish served in an earthenware pot placed over a burner and shared by a group of people at dinner. The word fondue comes from the French word fonder which literally means to melt. The fondue is kept continually in a liquid state from the burner that is placed under it. Dinner patrons and guests use forks to dip various meats, breads, fruits, and other items in the fondue. The most popular fondue recipes are made with cheese, although there are many variations such as chocolate fondues.

Fondue etiquette

Knowing the proper etiquette for any formal setting is essential to avoiding potentially embarrassing situations. The same is true for fondue although much of the etiquette surrounding fondue is of a mostly good-natured tongue-in-cheek fashion. For instance, if someone loses a piece of meat or bread in the fondue pot while attempting to dip it, that person owes the table a round of drinks, and so forth. However, there are more serious standards in place for the partaking of fondue. In some instances it is considered bad manners to touch the fondue fork with your lips or tongue. Most fondue etiquette requires that you remove the meat or bread from the dipping utensil before eating it.

Cheese fondue

Although it is considered fine dining by most, fondue, like most good inventions, was originally created out of necessity. In the Swiss Alps, food was scarce during the harsh winter months. One day, some lucky soul found that old cheese was edible if it was melted properly. Over time, various wines and seasonings were added to the mix and people soon found that even old, even stale bread tasted better when dipped in the cheese fondue.

Chocolate fondue

It's not just for cheese anymore. Today there are number of chocolate fondue recipes floating around, each richer and more extravagant than the next. For the ultimate exercise in decadence, many manufacturers today are offering electric chocolate fondue fountains. These auger-style chocolate fondue fountains have a self-sustaining flow that can melt up to two pounds of chocolate at a time. Chocolate fondue fountains are by far the most innovative and decadent way to serve your guests.

More information on fondue sets