Do You Fondue?

Summer is one of the best times for spontaneous parties, visits that turn into lingering dinners, and easy no-fuss gatherings.  Last night I enjoyed the company of a few great friends for a fondue party! It was fun and easy to put together, and kept us at the table drinking, dipping, and chatting for hours.

Here are some tips for a great fondue party:

• Try prepping the ingredients together! We did everything as a team, and as a result all felt like we helped in the delicious success of the night.
• It's important to have a great fondue, but...
• It's really all about the dippables! Classics are great- broccoli, bread (we used sourdough), tart apples.
• Don't be afraid to take some risks with the dippers you choose.  We roasted some corn and cauliflower for dipping, and loved them both! You can't go wrong with melted cheese.
• Wine. Have it.
• Music to set the mood is a great asset.  We chose the Carla Bruni pandora station, and found it to be just right.

Here's a recipe for the fondue we made.  Fondue is a personal preference sort of meal, so change it up as you like.

Classic Fondue

Ingredients

1 clove of garlic

1.5 cups dry, tart white wine (we chose a souvignon blanc)

Juice of half of 1 lemon

8 oz. gruyere 

6 oz. emmentaler 

2 tbsp cornstarch

Dash of mustard powder

Dash of nutmeg

Special equipment: crock pot or fondue pot

Rub the inside of bowl of the fondue pot or crock pot with crushed garlic.  Pour in white wine and lemon juice.  Let heat for 10 minutes.

Shred the cheeses into a large bowl.  Add the cornstarch and toss to combine thoroughly.

Add the shredded cheese mixture to the pot with the wine and lemon juice.  Stir to combine.  Allow cheese to melt, about 20 minutes.  Once cheese is to the desired consistency, add mustard powder and nutmeg.  Dip and enjoy!