Fondue at Home | Melting Pot Restaurants (2024)

FAQs

What is the etiquette for eating fondue? ›

Fondue rules

You must not double dip, and never put your fork directly into your mouth. You can grab it off with just your teeth, but the best way is to slide it onto your plate and use a regular fork to eat it.

There are four commonly prepared types of fondue. They are cheese fondue, chocolate fondue, oil fondue (also known as meat fondue), and broth fondue.

Each cheese fondue comes with artisan breads and seasonal vegetables for dipping. Crisp romaine, bacon, shredded Parmesan, croutons, peppercorn ranch and Parmesan pine nuts. Enjoy a delicious salad featuring one of The Melting Pot's signature dressings. Entrée includes seasonal vegetables and signature dipping sauces.

You can dip bread, vegetables or cubes of cheese in a marinara sauce-like tomato fondue. Do: Make enough for everyone. Plan on 4-6 people per fondue pot. Don't: Go all crazy buying up extra pots if you want to serve multiple versions of fondue.

Recommendation is not to drink water with a cheese fondue - in Switzerland people usually drink (Swiss) white wine with a fondue. When not wine, then tea (I drink when I have to drive after a fondue). Some people add a glass of Kirsch.

This classic recipe from Savoie in the Alps of eastern France makes a delightful start to a dinner, or can be a meal in itself, accompanied by cured meats (prosciutto, bresaola, thinly sliced hard sausage), little boiled potatoes, cornichons (little pickles) and a green salad to lighten things up.

Religieuse / Grossmutter

If the heat is on too high or if you don't eat the cheese fondue quickly enough, a thin layer may start to cook on the bottom of the pot. This hardened cheese crust carries the name of la religieuse (the nun) in French-speaking Switzerland.

The best all-around cheeses for fondue are fontina, Gruyère, and gouda. If you aren't sure what to pick, use even amounts of these three. Together are lush and complex. For classic Swiss cheese fondue (meaning one like what you would find in Switzerland), a mix of traditional, firm mountain-style cheeses is best.

You can dip any meat you like, but we recommend filet mignon, sirloin, or ribeye beef. You can also choose a variety of vegetables to dip. This recipe makes enough fondue for four people. If you're a fan of fondue, you'll want to serve up the best cuts of meat for dipping.

Olive oil, while delicious, is not the best choice for fondue because it has a strong flavour and a relatively low smoke point. Instead, consider using Canola oil, which is inexpensive, has a neutral flavour, and has a high smoke point. Peanut oil, grapeseed oil, and sunflower seed oil are good options.

What is the Swiss tradition to have with your fondue? ›

Accompaniments often include potatoes, cornichon, and pickled pearl onions. Accompanying beverages are white wine, tea, and occasionally a glass of kirsch. Although locals consider fondue a main course, you'll be able to enjoy it as an entree or an appetizer as you dine in the Swiss Alps.

Bread is the most popular dipper for cheese fondue. There are many excellent options to choose from. French bread, breadsticks, and croutons are always favorites, but also consider multigrain bread, rye, sourdough, pumpernickel, and even bagels.

Utensils, etiquette and technique

The long fondue fork is, traditionally, only for dipping pieces of bread in the fondue. In theory you should place the dipped bread on your plate and proceed to eat it with a regular knife and fork; in practice, however, almost no one does this.

As a host, remind everyone that the proper way to eat fondue is to use the long fondue fork to dip and then place the dipper on your small plate. Then use your dinner fork to eat your dippers. To keep your dinner party germs and contaminants free, no one should eat directly from the fondue fork.