Fondue or as I call it, “Fun-due”, has been a favorite since childhood. If you love cheese, fondue is the dish for you. There are several variations including classic cheese, chunks of meat cooked in hot oil called Fondue Bourguignonne and chocolate. The word fondue primarily refers to a dish consisting of melted cheeses typically Emmental and Gruyere combined with wine and a brandy called Kirschwasser. It’s served communally, from a ceramic pot containing the cheese warmed from below to keep it melted and enjoyed by dipping chunks of bread at the ends of long forks into the cheese and then eating them.
Hubby and I spent our honeymoon in Europe visiting six different countries. We devoted several days to the beautiful cities of Lucerne and Zermatt in Switzerland. While in Zermatt our hotel balcony had a picture-perfect view of the Matterhorn. We took advantage of this magnificent view to enjoy a wonderful glass of wine and reflect on our wedding day. For dinner that evening, we ventured to a cozy restaurant to enjoy a classic swiss fondue multi course dining experience. It was simply divine and a lifelong treasured memory.
Recently we hosted our wonderful friends Chris and Amy to a fondue feast at our home. To add a special touch, my tablescape was inspired from Après Ski. I wanted everyone to imagine that they had a fun day of skiing down the slopes and now was the time to enjoy an alpine feast. I found white flocked trees from Target, silver trees from HomeGoods along with fluffy snow, pinecones, mini skis & sweaters all from Amazon. Each guest had a menu that outlined what to anticipate.
Preparing a fondue dinner is quite straightforward. Simple tasks like grating the cheese, cutting the filet mignon and chicken into small pieces, and assembling the items to dip into the chocolate fondue can be done ahead. I tend to purchase the dipping sauces from Trader Joe’s for the Bourguignonne course. My favorites include barbeque sauce, chimichurri, romanesco, teriyaki, blue cheese dressing, sweet and sour sauce, and Thai curry sauce. Who doesn’t love a short cut?
For the chocolate fondue, I prepare a platter filled with sliced bananas, fresh pineapple chunks, marshmallows, Madeline cookies, assorted berries, cookies, and mini profiteroles. I love to add orange liqueur into the chocolate fondue. I would suggest a wine pairing with each course. A dry white wine for the cheese course along with a Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon for the Bourguignonne course and a port or dessert wine for the chocolate course.
I hope that each of you are inspired to create your own fondue party. I have included the recipe for the cheese fondue that I have been using for years. Cheers!
By Lisa Crossett, Resident since 2001
Lisa has been a Northgate resident since 2001. Professionally she is the Head of Talent Acquisition for Mechanic s Bank with headquarters in Walnut Creek. She is the President of California Recruiters and on the board for Community Arts Foundation based in Walnut Creek. Lisa’s passion is Food, Wine and Entertaining. She publishes a food blog called Authentic Suburban Gourmet and loves to throw elegant dinner parties, explore wine country, collect wine and cook great food.
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