Dippity-Do-Da-Day

Swiss shepherds two centuries ago were on to something when they trudged inside from the cold and dipped stale bread into cauldrons of melted cheese mixed with wine. Little did they know the survival tactic would turn into an elaborate modern-day production involving the additions of meat, seafood and assorted sauces.

Today, the communal ritual fosters a festive atmosphere with guests seated around pots of the gooey cheese. For meat fondue, the vessels are filled instead with bubbling broth or oil to poach morsels of steak, chicken and fish pricked onto the tips of long, metal skewers.

Even in the face of a global pandemic, it’s one of the merriest winter dinners you can throw when confined to your innermost circle of friends and family members.

Essentials & Cost

Sitting down to fondue means forgetting about time as participants graze from relish trays in between eating their skewered nibbles one at a time. The non-rushed meal also means making a small investment in a fondue set and several cans of Sterno.

Prices vary wildly, as the sets are available at nearly every retailer ranging from Bed, Bath & Beyond, Target and Walmart to Macy’s, Sur La Table and Williams Sonoma.

On the low end, we recently found one by Zen Kitchen on Amazon for $27.95. It features a ceramic pot, six skewers, and six companion dishes to contain sauces and/or veggies, meat and cubed bread.

For several dollars more, a fondue set by Boska (with only four skewers and sans the side bowls) has earned high consumer ratings for its versatility. It is available at Bed, Bath & Beyond.

Why any fondue set costs $770 is a giant mystery.

So what if the pot is made with 2mm-gauge copper and designed by the reputable French brand, Mauviel. It’s certain that whatever gets fished out of this pot isn’t going to taste any better than foods cooked in others. It’s sold through Williams Sonoma—and no doubt comes with “fast, free delivery.”

The Classic Swiss Recipe

The savory mixture of Gruyere and Emmentaler cheeses is your main gateway into fondue. It’s ridiculously delicious and elegant enough to impress the hell out of your dinner guests.

Served with abundant pieces of bread, it can be eaten from a coffee table while sitting on the living room floor, or on a formal dining table as trays of olives and veggies get passed around. As seen in the recipe below, its assembly is fairly easy.

Although if you want to cheat, Trader Joe’s sells a boxed, microwaveable version through the holidays that comes pretty close to the homemade recipe.

Fondue of the Flesh

Make it a visual feast when serving meat fondue. Choose oil or broth for the pot, set over a medium-high Sterno setting, and then park a few bowls around it filled with cubed top sirloin, boneless chicken breast, salmon, and whole shrimp—all raw with each piece destined for the hot liquid.

Most skewers can hold up to three pieces of meat or fish, and cooking times span between 2 and 6 minutes with each dunk.

Essential to the presentation are dipping sauces. Based on my fondue parties over the years, the big hits included Jamaican jerk, creamy dill, mustard, Thai peanut, horseradish, and mango chutney. They can be made from scratch (see recipes for two of them below) or purchased from grocery stores ahead of time.

Bring on Dessert

When your fondue pot gets filled with melted chocolate, the dippers include things like seasonal fruits, marshmallows, and neatly cut chunks of pound cake.

The formula for serving four people is simple: Finely chop a half-pound of your favorite type of chocolate and toss the pieces into a fondue pot along with a half-cup of whole milk. For extra pizzazz, sneak in a shot of Jack Daniels, Grand Marnier or cognac. Stir frequently over medium heat until chocolate is completely melted, and then go to town.

Fondue Facts

Experimenting with different meats, cheeses and dippers is part of the fun of making fondue, which was first presented to Americans in the French and Swiss pavilions during the 1939 World’s Fair in New York City. But it wasn’t until the late 1960s and early 70s that fondue entered widely into American popular culture.

Various customs have come into play when eating it.

Among them, if a woman loses her bread or meat while dipping into the fondue pot, she must kiss the man on her right.

If a man accidentally drops something into the pot, he must kiss all the guests and drink a glass of kirsch.

And anyone who loses a dipper a second time must host the next fondue party.

Also, fondue aficionados say drinks should always be served warm or at room temperature with both meat and cheese fondues to aid digestion. (Yes, all those small bites add up to a substantial fill.)

Recipes

Swiss Fondue
(serves about 4 people)

1 garlic clove
2/3 cup dry white wine
2 tbs. fresh squeezed lemon
2 cups finely grated Emmentaler cheese
2 cups finely grated Gruyere cheese
1 tbs. corn starch
3 tbs kirsch
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. paprika
¼ tsp. grated nutmeg

Crush the garlic clove and rub along the inside of the fondue pot. Pour in the wine and lemon juice, then place over heat stand or on medium stove burner. Slowly add the cheeses. Stir continuously until melted. When cheese begins to bubble, combine cornstarch and kirsch, then add to the pot. Continue stirring for 2 minutes, then add the salt, paprika and nutmeg, and serve immediately with cubed French bread and pear or green apple wedges.

Mellow Mustard Sauce (for meat fondue)
(Yields about ¾ cup)

1 tbs. dry mustard
½ tsp. flour
½ cup light cream
1 small egg yolk
½ tsp. sugar
3 tbs. heated vinegar
dash of salt

Blend together in a small bowl the dry mustard, flour and ¼ cup of the cream. Put remaining cream in small saucepan, heat, and stir in the mustard mixture. Beat egg yolk in a separate small bowl along with 1 tbs. of the warm mustard mixture. Add the yolk mixture and sugar in to the saucepan. Stir constantly over low heat until thickened. Then add in the heated vinegar and salt and stir for 30 seconds.
Refrigerate for one hour. Use with fish, beef or poultry.

Dill Cream Sauce (for meat fondue)
(Yields about ¾ cup)

1 tablespoon sour cream
½ cup heavy cream
3 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 tbs. fresh lemon juice
dash of salt
3-4 tbs. minced fresh dill

Place sour cream in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Stir in the heavy cream and set aside. Combine oil, lemon juice, salt and dill in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and gradually add in the cream mixture, whisking constantly. Continue stirring over low heat for 1-2 minutes. Remove to a small bowl. Chill sauce for at least 1 hour to thicken. Ideal with beef and poultry.

(Lead photo by Angela Pham)