The seventies are back, baby! Here are some tips for how to enjoy the fondue revival.

Types of Fondue

• Cheese fondue
  • It is traditionally made with Gruyère cheese and white wine, but go ahead and try incorporating your favorite cheeses!
  • Popular accompaniments are:
    • Crusty bread
    • Lightly blanched vegetables, such as broccoli or cauliflower
    • Raw vegetables, such as mushrooms, carrots, celery or peppers
    • Chunks of salami, ham or cooked chicken, such as PERDUE® Chicken Nuggets or PERDUE® SHORT CUTS®—try our Chicken and Cheese Fun Do for a casual, family-friendly meal

• Meat fondue
  • Traditionally, use a pot of searing oil or simmering broth for cooking raw meats and dip small cubes of quick-cooking meats into the hot liquid and leave to cook to desired doneness
  • Popular meats for oil or broth fondue are:
    • Chicken – if you use fresh chicken, be sure to cook to 170°F, but you could also use the oil to heat a fully cooked product
    • Beef tenderloin
    • Shrimp
  • Serve with a variety of dips, sauces and condiments, such as:
    • Herb or garlic mayonnaise
    • Steak sauce
    • Horseradish sauce
    • Dijon mustard
    • Cornichon pickles
    • Cocktail sauce

• Chocolate fondue
  • It is traditionally made with dark chocolate melted with heavy cream, but white and milk chocolate are terrific as well!
  • For the adult version, add a touch of cherry or orange liqueur
  • Add your own favorite accompaniments—a few classics are:
    • Fresh fruits, such as oranges, apples, grapes, strawberries and bananas
    • Marshmallows
    • Pound cake cubes
    • Cookies
    • Dried fruits, such as apricots or banana chips

Equipment

• Choose the right pot for your fondue
  • Ceramic pots are great for cheese or chocolate fondue—the low heat keeps your fondue warm without burning
  • Pots that use tea lights, gel packs or Sterno keep a low temperature that works better for cheese or chocolate fondue
  • Metal pots are best for meat fondues, because they hold heat better than ceramic pots
  • Use an electric pot for oil or broth fondue—it will keep your oil or broth at the higher, constant temperature that you need to cook meat evenly

Setting the Table

• One fondue pot will comfortably serve 3–5 people—more than that will cause an overcrowding of forks in one pot
• Try to give everyone two forks, one for eating and one for dipping—if you have fondue forks, one fondue fork and one dinner fork work well
• Each person should have a small plate to eat from and rest his or her fork on

Drinks and Sides

• A crisp salad or fresh vegetables are a nice accompaniment as a light, fresh side dish
• Drinking water causes bread to swell, so try drinking wine or tea instead
• Mint tea is a great ending to a cheese or chocolate fondue

Fondue Etiquette

• Make sure everyone knows the proper fondue etiquette
  • Dip your bread into the melted cheese or chocolate and swirl in a figure-eight pattern to stir
  • Lift and hold for a moment to let the excess drip away
  • Use the dinner fork to slide your bread, fruit or meat from the fondue fork to your plate
  • Avoid double-dipping or eating directly from the fondue fork—that’s where two forks per person come in handy
  • Just for fun: anyone who loses a piece in the pot gives his or her next piece to the person sitting to the right!