Introduction There's something unique about sharing a fondue with family and friends around your table. Everyone is relaxed -- including the host and the pace of the intimate meal is as leisurely as you want.
For anyone old enough to remember the 1970s, the fondue also carries with it a certain nostalgia. Remember those college and après ski fondue parties? The obligatory fondue pot given as a bridal shower or wedding gift? Well, fondues are back, and once again, it's hip to dip!
In recent years, sales of fondue pots -- ranging from traditional flameburning fondues to the sleek, new, easy-to-use electric versions -- have skyrocketed. You'll find them everywhere, on cookware websites and on the shelves of kitchen stores. Restaurants devoted to fondue have cropped up around North America, and new generations are discovering the allure of the fondue tradition.
Fonduing is a fun and easy way to entertain and is more sociable than your typical dinner party. But you needn't wait for a special occasion to get retro and partake in no-fuss fondue. In today's fast-paced world, a romantic, lingering fondue for two offers an opportunity to enjoy one another's company while savoring melted comfort food.
Fondue is also an ideal way to spend quality time together as a family, and kids of all ages love to participate in cooking their own food especially when it involves chocolate! But don't discount other unhurried fondues with the junior set. Try dishes such as Pizza Fondue (page 57), Child-Friendly Mexican Fondue (page 49), Chicken Nuggets oil fondue (page 103), "Fried" Mars Bar Fondue (page 121) and Shrimp in Mexican Broth (page 188), toname a few.
Today's fondue goes well beyond the standard duo of cheese and chocolate -- though I have included an array of traditional fondue dishes such as Classic Swiss Cheese Fondue (page 28) and Classic Beef Bourguignonne (page 78). But international cooking styles present a plethora of fondue possibilities, such as Mongolian Hot Pot (page 160), Japanese Sukiyaki (page 142) and tempura (page 120), spicy Indian curries and Mexican bubbling cheese fondues, as well as simmering Middle Eastern, Thai and Italian broths. And unlike the fondues of yesterday -- never exactly low in fat -- many of the new varieties have a healthier twist, with fresh foods swished in flavorful broths instead of oil. One of my all-time favorite fondues in The Fondue Bible is the Paella Fondue (page 144), a sensational broth fondue that takes its inspiration from saffron-infused paella and is the ideal centerpiece at a fondue party.
Still, cheese and oil fondues continue to play an important role in creating a contemporary fondue feast. So, in addition to dipping French bread into creamy Swiss cheese fondue or spearing beef tenderloin into sizzling hot oil, with the recipes in this book you can indulge in Truffle Fondue (page 55) or Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Fondue (page 64), or take a stab at Coconut Shrimp (page 112) or Moroccan Meatball (page 91) oil fondues.
And don't forget that, despite our culture's calorie-counting obsession, decadent desserts still reign supreme -- and in moderation, why not? Chocolate lovers will be thrilled by the extensive compilation of dessert fondues in this book, including various types of chocolate paired with complementary flavors such as maple, cherry, coffee, peanut butter and mint. You'll even find a delicious Diabetic Chocolate Fondue (page 211) that holds its own. Also included is a dizzying array of other sweet sensations, ranging from caramel to rum and butter to key lime.
Ultimately, fonduing is all about fun and relaxation. For the host, a fondue party requires only a little shopping, chopping, marinating and grating. After that, it's the guests who do the work: cooking, dipping, dunking and devouring.
Fire, food and friendship appeal to our primitive urges -- think cavemen and cavewomen huddling around a campfire, spearing meat and cooking over fire. A fondue party offers a chance to recreate (well, kind of) this fabled scenario. It's a cozy meal focused on a pot over fire in which guests cook their skewered meat while enjoying good conversation, good food and good times.
Enjoy!
Ilana Simon
