Fabulous Fondue Fun!

All the makings for a fondue party, including a full menu for cheese fondue, meat and seafood fondue and chocolate fondue, plus all the dips, sauces and dippers!  Info includes the tools required, timelines and tips & tricks!  One stop fondue fun.

What do you think of when you hear the word fondue?  The first thought that enters my mind chocolate.  Mmmm chocolate.  Chocolate smothered strawberries and bananas…can’t you just taste them?!  And don’t forget the cheese.  The hot, gooey, delicious and rich melted cheese smothered bread chunks.  So good.

Fun, fabulous and delicious fondue!

A couple of weeks ago we hosted a fondue party and it was so much fun!  I wish I could show you a ‘Martha Stewart’ party, complete with all the perfect invitations, menus, printables, and decorations but I don’t have them.  And please excuse the pictures, we were too busy eating and having fun to capture any perfect pics…hopefully next time.  The important thing is that I share all of the delicious recipes with you!

A Complete Fondue Menu

Not only will you get some tasty recipes to try, but you also got to see some fondue pots that are the real deal…I’m talking 1970’s real deal…like fondue pots that made their rounds at the first fondues of our time.  Now how’s that for authentic?!  And I’m hoping that you will find this a one-stop-shop-fondue-party!

Now it’s time to partaaaaaaay!

What you need for your Fondue:

First, let’s get everything you need to make your fondue party a success.  Here are all the supplies you need:

• 3 Fondue pots  (we used 4: one pot was for shrimp only)
  • One for Meat & Seafood:  1 pot for the oil – use an electric, stainless steel or cast iron pot for oil fondues.  Make sure that the pot that you use for an oil fondue has a splash guard around the rim of the pot to prevent splashing.
  • One for Cheese Fondue:  Use a ceramic fondue pot over a flame.  We use gel fuel pots – you can find these at WalMart or any major grocery store.
  • One for Chocolate:  Use a ceramic fondue pot over a tea light.
• Fuel:  tea lights, gel fuel pots and vegetable oil.
• Fondue forks: make sure you have at least 2 per person.
• Little bowls for dips & sauces (or you can use 8 dishes, and put a set of dips on either end of the table for easy access)
• Napkins:  have a lot…fondues are messy
• Serving plates

Fondue Preparation Timeline:

Here’s a quick timeline to help you organize your fondue party preparations:

• Make your dips first.  These are best made early in the day so the flavours in them can meld together.
• Prep all your vegetables and fruit ahead of time.  Wash and cut them up in to bite sized pieces.  Again, this is best to do early in the day so you are all ready to go at fondue time!
• Slice your meat.  Do this early and put it in your fridge until dinner time.
• De-thaw any seafood you are serving.
• About an hour or so before your fondue party, you can roast any veggies that you plan on serving.  They don’t have to be hot right out of the oven at fondue time.  Most people like to warm them up in the cheese fondue or even the oil.

Now on to the food!

Dips and Sauces:

The general rule for fondue dips and sauces, is that there should be at least 3-4 different kinds for your seafood and meats.

• Cocktail sauce for the shrimp (store bought is great!)
• Peanut sauce
• Horseradish-Dijon mustard dip
• Chimichurri sauce

Peanut Sauce Recipe

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• Author: Jo-Anna Rooney
• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Yield: 1/2 cup 1x

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Ingredients

• 3 tbsp finely chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp water
• 1 – 2 tbsp creamy peanut butter
• 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 1 tsp tomato paste
• 3/4 tsp sugar

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Instructions

1. In a small saucepan, cook the onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes in oil until soft, about 4 minutes.
2. Whisk in the remaining ingredients, and simmer while stirring, about 1 minute.
3. Cool.

• Category: Sauce

Keywords: peanut sauce

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Horseradish and Dijon Dipping Sauce

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• Author: Jo-Anna Rooney
• Total Time: 5 minutes
• Yield: 1 1/2 cups 1x

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Ingredients

• 1 cup sour cream
• 6 tbsp prepared horseradish
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• coarse salt and freshly ground paper

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Instructions

1. Stir sour cream, horseradish, and mustard in a small bowl.
2. Season with salt and pepper.

• Category: Sauce

Keywords: horseradish sauce, dijon sauce

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Chimichurri Sauce

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• Author: Jo-Anna Rooney
• Total Time: 2 hours (including resting time)
• Yield: 2 cups 1x

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Ingredients

• 1/2 cup packed fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro, chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar (white wine vinegar works well too)
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

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Instructions

1. Combine all the ingredients together, and let sit for at least 2 hours.
2. Tip:  Make this dip first, then prep everything else for your fondue while it rests.

• Category: Sauce

Keywords: Chimichurri sauce

3 Delicious Fondues Recipes:

Now on to the fondues!  Here are 3 different fondue recipes: 

• Meat Fondue:  Great for steak, seafood and chicken.
• Cheese Fondue:  Great for dipping vegetables, breads and cured meats.
• Chocolate Fondue:  A wonderful dessert recipe for dipping fruit, cakes and marshmallows.

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Meat Fondue

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• Author: Jo-Anna Rooney

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Description

Great for steak, seafood and chicken.

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Ingredients

• sirloin steak (cut into strips)
• shrimp
• chunks of chicken
• vegetable oil for cooking

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Instructions

1. Fill your fondue pots 1/2 – 2/3 full with vegetable oil.
2. Turn on the heat, and when the temperature reaches around 350 – 365 degrees it’s ready to cook in.

• Category: Fondue

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Cheese Fondue

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• Author: Jo-Anna Rooney
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: about 5 cups 1x

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Description

Great for dipping vegetables, breads and cured meats.

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Ingredients

• 1 clove garlic, cut in half lengthwise
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 lb Gruyere and/or Emmentaler cheese. Shredded should make about 9 cups total.
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 lemon)

Dippers for Cheese Fondue:

• chunks of bread
• cooked meat
• fresh vegetables: grape tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms
• roasted vegetables: cauliflower, potatoes, bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, carrots, parsnips

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Instructions

1. Before you get your fondue pot hot, rub the inside of it thoroughly with the cut garlic halves, then thrown them out.
2. Pour the wine into the fondue pot, and place over medium-low heat. (See notes)
3. When the wine starts to bubble, add the cheese by the handful, stirring until melted and combined.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch with lemon juice until the cornstarch dissolves, then stir the mixture into the cheese mixture.
5. Continue whisking the cheese mixture until it is smooth and bubbling slightly.
6. Serve immediately.

• Category: Fondue

Keywords: cheese fondue

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Chocolate Fondue

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• Author: Jo-Anna Rooney
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 4 cups 1x

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Description

A wonderful dessert recipe for dipping fruit, cakes and marshmallows.

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Ingredients

• 1 lb semisweet chocolate
• 2 cups heavy cream

Chocolate Fondue Dippers:

• strawberries
• bananas
• chunks of pineapple
• chunks of white cake
• marshmallows

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Instructions

1. On your stove, place a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water.
2. Add the chocolate and cream.
3. Using a wooden spoon, stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is creamy and smooth.
4. Once it’s smooth, transfer the chocolate mix to a fondue pot, and set over a warming candle like a tea light. See notes.
5. Serve immediately.

• Category: Fondue

Keywords: chocolate fondue

Fondues really are such a fun time!  I dare anyone not to have a great time dipping and cooking their food.  It makes for great conversation and good times!  They make for great romantic dinners too…maybe even this Valentines Day.  Just sayin’

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Have a delicious day!