Fondue cooking

Many of us already have a fondue set at home. It has become an ideal gift, and it makes people very happy to receive one. But it is also true that some people have it tucked away and, honestly, I think that is a real shame! A fondue is a practical cooking utensil —with which you can quickly solve a meal or dinner—, it is fun for diners, easy to prepare and clean —important, right?— and, in my experience, it encourages conversation and livens up meals, since it is, so to speak, a group activity, a dish to share, one that invites conversation.

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

Secondly, since you'll often want to use it, try to always keep special fondue cheeses in the fridge, or melting chocolate! Or let loose one day, because not everything has to follow a fixed script: why not use Nutella one day? Or why not make hot chocolate instead of melting chocolate?

And lastly, be absolutely clear that there are tons of foods you can use to dip in a fondue! Don't say you have nothing to make it with, because from today that excuse no longer counts.

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

Cheese fondues are made with special fondue cheese. You'll find it in supermarkets, in the refrigerated section. To prepare it, you only need to melt the cheese in the fondue pot (you do this in the kitchen, on gas, ceramic hob...). Once it has melted, you place it on the candle fondue stand, with the fondue candle or oil lit to keep the cheese warm. And that's it, ready to start dipping whatever you have prepared!

On the other hand, you have prepared the foods that will be the perfect match for the cheese. I already said before that many ingredients will work here. What I advise is to leave whatever you have in mind on the table, cut into cubes or strips. Most things are eaten completely raw, so setting the table is just as quick as making the cheese!

What can you dip in the cheese? The classics are toasted bread and vegetables (asparagus, carrots, peppers, ...). But since it all comes down to trying things, you can discover many things that go well with cheese: we also do it with green beans, mushrooms, endive, Serrano ham, olives... even apple is fantastic!

A little secret: to vary the flavor of the cheese, you can add a little pepper one day, some rosemary another day, season it with a different spice on another, or leave it plain again without adding anything. And as for the ingredients, the taste of the fondue will also vary if one day they are raw and another you cook them on the grill.

Then there is chocolate fondue. The process is the same as before: melt the chocolate in the kitchen, then keep it warm and liquid on the table with the heat of the candle. Some people make it for dessert; I prefer to do it on weekend mornings. That way we all enjoy a good family breakfast! What to dip in chocolate is really a matter of the most whimsical imagination. From the most typical fruit (strawberries, banana, apples, kiwi, watermelon, orange, ...), to the softest sponge cakes, plus biscotti, toasted bread, digestive 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 is on the table. Here, the usual thing is to make them with meat and fish, so the pieces cook in 30 seconds when dipped in well. Going to try it? Again, anything goes. Beef, pork loin, tuna, salmon... whatever you feel like cut into cubes, as long as it has enough body to hold up in the oil.

You can see that fondue allows all kinds of combinations. Some will prefer some, others will prefer others... but if there is a sufficient variety of ingredients on the table, I'm sure everyone will find their own.

The truth is that I enjoy fondue. I enjoy eating it, and I also like seeing that it is a different way to get kids to eat vegetables and fruit, apart from the fact that, as I said before, it brings everyone at the table much closer together!

If you don't have one at home and feel like buying a fondue set, you have plenty to choose from! At home we have the Savoyarde and Bourguignon by Le Creuset. It weighs a lot, but that's because it's a cast iron fondue pot! That also helps retain the temperature better. And it has an enamel coating that means it doesn't absorbs moisture, colors, or odors from food. It cleans easily —leave it to soak in water, and after a while you'll clean it without any trouble. It's a delight, and when you have it in front of you, it's clear that it's a real fondue set.

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

A new Le Creuset release not long ago was the mini-casserole fondue. It is a curious, elegant piece and, why not, a charming one. Keep in mind that the pot is a mini-casserole, so it will be more suitable for accompanying lunches and dinners than for making fondue a main dish. It is ideal as a gift, and for getting started in the world of fondue if you are not yet sure whether you will use it. And of course, you can also use the mini-casserole every day to present other delights at the table.

I can't end the post without first talking about the fondue that has stolen my heart: the Kuhn Rikon fondue set: it was designed in Switzerland and manufactured in Germany, it is made of white ceramic, and the base is made of cherry wood with a varnished nickel rack. Surely when you see the photo you'll think it's beautiful. In person, you'd say it's gorgeous!