Fondue cooking

Many of us already have a fondue set at home. It has become an ideal gift, and it's a joy to have one. But it's also true that some people have it tucked away, and honestly, I think that's a real shame! The fondue is a practical kitchen tool—you can sort out a meal or dinner quickly with it—it's fun for diners, it's easy to prepare and clean—important, right?—and, from my experience, it encourages conversation and livens up meals, since it is, so to speak, a group activity, a dish to share that invites conversation.

So, convinced that fondue use should become more widespread, here is the tip I consider essential: take it out from the back of the cupboard where you keep it, because it should be within reach, as handy as the frying pan or pot you use so often. That way you'll see it, remember you have that option, and you'll use it much more.

Second, since you'll often want to use it, try to always keep special fondue cheeses in the fridge, or chocolate for melting! Or let loose one day—life isn't all rigid rules: why not use Nutella one day? Or why not make hot chocolate instead of melting chocolate?

And finally, be absolutely clear that there are tons of foods you can dip into a fondue! Don't say you have nothing to make one with, because from today that excuse doesn't count.

Having said all that, I think it's a good time to talk about how to prepare the fondue. The most common are cheese fondue or chocolate fondue. It's not as common, although just as delicious and fun, to do oil fondues. But let's go step by step.

Cheese fondues are made with special fondue cheese. You can find it in supermarkets, in the refrigerated section. To prepare it, you just melt the cheese in the fondue pot on the stove (gas, ceramic, etc.). When it's melted, place it on the fondue stand with the candle or fondue burner lit to keep the cheese hot. And it's ready to start dipping what you've prepared!

On the other hand, prepare the foods that will pair perfectly with the cheese. I've already said that many ingredients will work here. What I advise is to leave whatever you've planned on the table cut into small cubes or strips. Most things are eaten completely raw, so table prep is as quick as the cheese!

What can you dip in the cheese? The classics are toasted bread and vegetables (asparagus, carrot, peppers, ...). But since it's all about trying, you can discover many things that go well with cheese: we also do it with green beans, mushrooms, endives, Serrano ham, olives... even apple is wonderful!

A little tip: to vary the flavor of the cheese, you can add a bit of pepper one day, another day add some rosemary, another day season with a different spice, or leave it again with nothing added. And as for the ingredients, the flavor of the fondue will also vary if one day they are raw and another you cook them on the grill.

Then there's chocolate. The process is the same as before: melt the chocolate on the stove, and keep it hot and liquid on the table with the heat of the candle. Some prepare it for dessert; I prefer to do it on weekend mornings. That way we all enjoy a nice family breakfast! What to dip in the chocolate is a matter of imaginative whim. From the most typical fruit (strawberries, banana, apples, kiwi, watermelon, orange, ...), to soft cakes, rusks, toasted bread, digestive-style biscuits, croissants... and other fruits like peach, grapes, or berries.

Oil fondues are basically for frying the ingredients. The important thing is to keep the oil very hot once it's on the table. Here, it's common to cook meat and fish, which, when fully submerged, cook in about 30 seconds. Will you try it? Again, everything goes. Beef, pork loin, tuna, salmon... whatever you like cut into cubes, and with enough firmness to hold up in the oil.

You see that fondue accepts all kinds of combinations. Some will prefer some, others will prefer others... but if there's enough variety of ingredients on the table, everyone will surely find something they like.

Honestly, I enjoy fondue. I enjoy eating it, and I also like seeing that it's a different way for kids to eat vegetables and fruit, besides, as I said before, it really brings people at the table together!

If you don't have one at home and feel like buying a fondue, you have many to choose from! At home we have the Savoyarde and Bourguignon from Le Creuset. It weighs a lot, but it's a cast iron fondue! That also helps retain temperature better. And it has an enamel coating that makes it not it absorbs moisture, colors, or odors from food. It cleans easily—soak it in water, and after a while you'll clean it without any difficulty. It's a delight, and when you see it in person it's clear that it's a proper fondue set.

There's also the ceramic, beautiful fondue from Emile Henry, more affordable and with a traditional design that we love. Very ideal for cheese and chocolate fondues. Besides the fondue and forks, it includes a recipe book, which is always fun to browse and get ideas from, right?

A recent novelty from Le Creuset was the fondue mini-casserole. It is a curious, elegant and, why not, playful piece. Keep in mind that the pot is a mini-casserole, so it will serve to accompany lunches and dinners rather than make fondue a single main course. It is ideal for gifting, and to get you started in the world of fondue if you are not yet sure you will use it. And of course you can use the mini-casserole daily to present other delights at the table.

I won't finish the post without mentioning the fondue that has stolen my heart: the Kuhn Rikon fondue: it was designed in Switzerland and manufactured in Germany, it's made of white ceramic, and the base is cherry wood with a nickel-coated grate. Surely when you see the photo you'll think it's pretty. In person you'd say it's a real beauty!