Belinda Hulin

Introduction

A bubbling fondue pot is a party waiting to happen. A simmering vessel of savory or sweet sauce, platters of dip-worthy victuals, a basket of long forks or skewers... Add guests to the mix and pretty soon they’re shoulder-to-shoulder, dipping, sipping, munching and laughing. With this book, and a few well-chosen implements, you can make it happen.

Fondue, a centuries-old Swiss dish with culinary cousins in many countries, likely started as peasant food. Melting together cheeses, with a splash of wine or spirits, plus herbs and spices, offered a way to reclaim and share leftovers from the summer larder. During cold alpine winters, one can imagine family and neighbors savoring the aroma of the hot, intensely flavorful melts. Swirling chunks of crusty bread in the communal pot warmed hearts as well stomachs. Of course, as with many worthy peasant dishes, fondue also found favor with people of means. Embellished with higher-quality ingredients and more refined implements, fondue--taken from the French “fondre” which means “to melt”--took on the trappings of an elegant hors d’oeuvre.

On the other side of the globe, communal cooking over a hot pot of broth had equally practical origins. More than a thousand years ago, Mongolian nomads prepared meals in a bubbling cauldron heated by campfire. That practice of creating a portable feast every night evolved into a rich, diverse network of hot pot cooking traditions throughout Asia. Each province or country showcases its own lively flavors and ingredients in sociable meals that often have cultural as well as culinary significance.

Fondue purists can recite a litany of fondue rules ranging from the proper ingredients and perfect dippers to the preferred cooking vessels. There are rituals appropriate to specific European fondues and Asian hot pot meals, plus variations that apply to dishes starring cheese, oil, broth, wine or beer, sauces, chocolate or other sweets. All of that historic etiquette and trivia is well and good, and certainly interesting to learn. But here’s the important thing to remember: A fondue--whether you’re dipping into a perfect French caquelon or a good old American crockpot--is a way to bring people together to share a meal. By all means, learn as much as you can about classic fondue cooking (this book will help you!), but don’t be afraid to experiment. Party fare should never be intimidating to the cook, or the guest.

So, add a soupcon of your favorite sauce or spice to melting cheese. Turn your signature party dip into a fondue masterpiece. Go ahead and dip Grandma’s special fruitcake into a warm caramel-cream cheese bath for dessert. All the so-called classic fondue dishes started with ingredients on hand and a creative cook—feel free to start your own fondue traditions. If you need a little inspiration, start with the menus and recipes offered here.

Whether you’re planning a fabulous fete, a little holiday hoopla or just a casual, sociable supper, The Everything Fondue Fun Book will give you everything you need to succeed. Learn fondue basics--including different types of fondue pots, fondue styles and techniques, fondue party planning and more--in the first chapter. Subsequent chapters will offer themed menus for large and small gatherings, recipes for fondues and accompaniments and a primer on different fondue and hot pot cooking traditions from around the world.