Fond-Dos and Fon-Don’ts for National Fondue Month
February is National Fondue Month, and with all the snow we’ve had, there’s no better way to melt away your Winter woes than cozying up to a pot of melted cheese or chocolate. Not only is fondue delicious, it’s a fun and interactive meal, perfect for a date night or a get together with a group of friends or co-workers. So, in honor of the cheesiest of all food holidays, here’s a little Fondue 101.
First, a dip into the past, the history of fondue:
It is believed that cheese fondue has its roots as a peasant dish, a way to use up hard cheese and leftover bread. In the 20th century, the dish evolved and became more prominently featured on both French and Swiss menus. The word fondue derives from the French verb, “fondre” which means to melt. At the same time, the cooking of meat, typically beef in hot oil, started to gain popularity. A similar type of cooking meat was also common in Asian cultures, but in broth (shabu shabu).
It wasn’t until the 1960s and ‘70s that fondue became a part of mainstream American culture. Fondue parties were all the rage, and featured not only cheese and meat fondues, but chocolate fondue as well. The creation of chocolate fondue is credited to aSwiss restaurant in New York called Chalet Suisse. Konrad Egli, the owner created it as a way for Swiss-based Toblerone to promote their product in the US.
In recent years, fondue has had a resurgence, and once again, Americans are enjoying the festive experience that sharing fondue with others provides. Sound like something you’d like to try? Before you take your first dip, there’s some rules you need to abide by (we promise, we didn’t make these up):
If a woman drops a dipper in the pot, she has to kiss the man on her right
If a man drops a dipper in the pot, he has to buy the next round of drinks
If a dipper is dropped a second time, the first person to do so has to host the next fondue party
Never double dip, unless you ask first
Never knock a fellow dipper’s fork out of the way (this is otherwise known as a pot block)
Never use your fingers to dip, that pot is HOT!!!
Never lick the fondue pot, no matter how tempting it may be
Always let ladies dip first, it’s only the polite thing to do
If you plan on hosting your own fondue party, here’s a great recipe:
The Melting Pot’s Wisconsin Trio Fondue
1 and 1/2 cups (6 oz.) shredded Butterkase
1 and 1/2 cups (6 oz.) shredded Fontina cheese
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup crumbled Blue cheese
2 tbsp. chopped scallions
Toss the Butterkase and Fontina cheeses with the flour in a bowl. Place a metal bowl over a saucepan filled with two inches of water. You may also use a conventional double boiler. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and pour the wine and sherry into the bowl. Stir in the shallots using a fork. Cook for 30 seconds stirring constantly.
Add half of the cheese blend, and stir constantly until the cheese is melted. Add the remaining cheese blend, a small amount at a time, stirring constantly. Fold in the pepper and Blue cheese. Pour into a warm fondue pot and keep warm over low heat. Garnish with the scallions.
Now just because Restaurant Week begins in March doesn't mean we can't keep the good fondue flowing. Prefer to have someone else do the cooking? Try the Melting Pot, the only restaurant in the Boston area where you can get all 3 courses of fondue in one meal! The Bedford and Framingham locations celebrate the art of fondue all year round with creamy cheese fondues, fondue style entrees of meat, poultry, seafood and pasta, and delectable chocolate fondues. Both locations feature an ongoing Girls’ Night Out event and will be offering menus during Winter Restaurant Week. Click here for info:
Restaurant Week Burlington
Restaurant Week Framingham
