Fondue Party

Winter is the perfect time to host a fondue party. Fondue nights can be really fun way to entertain. It can be a simple and interactive meal that you can enjoy lingering over while chatting and drinking wine with friends.

I like to do three courses. Start with a cheese fondue served with dippers like bread, apples and crudite type veggies. Then for the main course you can do a hot oil (I like to use Peanut Oil) or broth based fondue. Just keep the broth consistent with the meat you are serving. Chicken, steak, pork, seafood -all work for the main course. Cut the meat or seafood into bite-sized chunks or thin strips and maybe marinate a few things ahead of time. Throw in some vegetables too like potatoes (pre-cooked), broccoli, mushrooms. Offer a few complimentary sauces on the side to dip the food in after cooking.

And then the best part – dessert! A basic chocolate fondue is all you need, you can even throw in a little Bailey’s Irish Cream to jazz it up. Some dessert dipper ideas are cheesecake, marshmallows, pound cake, pretzels, strawberries, bananas, brownies – there are so many options. You don’t have to do it all either. Ask your friends to bring extra fondue pots. You can put someone in charge of dippers for the dessert or the cheese course.

A few tips. Each guest will need a fondue fork or two, a plate and a dinner fork. Metal pots are better for the oil and broth and ceramic pots are good choices for cheese and chocolate fondue. MThe oil or broth should be heated to 375 degrees. To test the oil for temperature, throw in a bread cube if it turns golden in 30 seconds your oil is readyake sure to note the cooking times for the various meats or seafood you choose so no one has undercooked food. As a general rule, cook beef 45 seconds -1 minute; fish, lamb and pork – 1 minute; seafood – 2-3 minutes; chicken – 2 minutes; and vegetables 3-5 minutes.

RECIPE: Basic Cheese Fondue
RECIPE: Basic Chocolate Fondue

Who doesn’t love fondue – it’s easy, it’s fun, it’s social and it’s delicious!

For more recipes and entertaining tips from Zareen visit her blog Cooking With Z.