fondue party

While it may seem incredibly easy to throw a bunch of cheese into a pot and melt it, crafting a super-creamy fondue takes a little skill. In the February issue of Vogue, Jeffrey Steingarten acknowledges that the perfect fondue is hard to find. He said:

Fondues as smooth and suave as this are rare; more often the cheese separates and settles on the bottom of the pan in stringy clumps and lonely curds whose flavor is as fine as the cheese they're made from, but that congeal in the mouth into tough and chewy balls not unlike chaws of bubble gum.

No one would want to serve a chunky fondue like the one Steingarten describes. To ensure that you never make a bad fondue again, check out my tips for creating silky fondue, just read more

No Valentine's Day fondue party is complete without chocolate fondue. This gooey and delicious dessert is decadent and festive. Serve with the classic accompaniments: fruit — strawberries, bananas, pineapple — salted pretzel sticks, biscotti, cubed pound or cheesecake. For a super special treat, make homemade marshmallows, tint them pink with red food coloring, and cut out with a heart shaped cookie cutter. For the classic chocolate fondue recipe and another for the marshmallows, read more

Although I'm not in a relationship, that doesn't mean I'm not going to celebrate Valentine's Day! This year I'm helping my sister and her BFF plan an all girl party. To make things festive and sexy, we're serving fondue. A fondue party appeals to everyone because guests can pick and choose what they want to dip into the melted cheese pleasing both vegetarians and meat eaters alike.

For our party, we will be serving the classic Swiss version of fondue as well as two other variations: a goat cheese fondue and a beer cheddar fondue. Cubed bread — both wheat and white — vegetables, fingerling potatoes, and pear slices will be used as dippers. For these fabulous fondue recipes, read more