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Fondue has evolved from an 18th century necessity to a modern day delicacy. Back in the 1700s, to make their stored foods edible once again, the Swiss melted hardened cheeses and dipped stale breads in the fondue. Now we use this same technique for delectable appetizers, main courses, and desserts. Sharing a pot of fondue can be romantic and soothing. It can also be fun for the whole hungry family. You decide the guests and the menu for your next fondue party.

Sharing Fondue

Everyone should be given one spear and a small plate, the groups limited to 2-4 people per pot. Make sure everyone knows their fondue etiquette before they eat. For instance, to avoid losing food in the pot, guests should start by spearing their portions all the way through. Each piece must only be dipped once, then given time to drip and cool off over the pot. Double-dipping is terrible fondue etiquette, as is spear-to-mouth contact. All present should do their best to keep their germs to themselves. Children should be asked to keep their fingers out of the searing pot.

Classic Cheese Fondue

Remember that dry white wine is best for thinning out fondue. Never use water! Cheese or cornstarch should be added to thicken the liquid. To make classic cheese fondue, use garlic juice from one clove to coat a medium-sized saucepan. Add 1 tbsp. lemon juice and 1 cup dry white wine. Only use quality wine; subpar varieties can spoil the taste. Heat until simmering. Meanwhile, mix 3 tsp. cornstarch and 1lb. grated cheese - half Gruyere and half Emmentaler, without the rind. Add cheese to the saucepan 1/2 cup at a time. Do not let your creation boil. Add dashes of pepper and nutmeg to taste, then pour everything into the heated fondue pot. Serve with crispy crusted Italian or French bread.

Main Course Fondue

For the main course, oil (or broth) fondue is used to cook small meat portions. Then they're dipped in prepared sauces and quickly devoured. While cheese and chocolate fondues are usually made with cast iron or ceramic fondue pots, metals like stainless steel are better for oil-based recipes. While main course recipes call for everything from poultry to seafood, this one is meant for beef: Cut 2lbs. beef tenderloin into small pieces and refrigerate. Fill the fondue pot nearly halfway full with vegetable oil. Add 1 cup of butter. Heat until simmering. Pour into heated fondue pot and cook beef portions 2 min. each.

Chocolate Goo Fondue

In a medium-sized saucepan, pour 1 cup heavy whipping cream. Cook for 3-5 min. over medium-low heat. Add 12oz. chopped semi-sweet chocolate and stir until just melted. Use either 1 tsp. vanilla extract or 3tbsp. orange liqueur for flavor. For the white chocolate marble recipe, just sprinkle 3oz. white chocolate over the fondue, then swirl a knife around to create different designs. Serve with strawberries, bananas, apple chunks, brownies, and pound cake. There's very little chance you'll have leftovers once your fondue party is through.

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