Americans love fondue. Go figure. The Swiss like it, but they are not as ga ga about it as we are.
Once you have the person you’d like to share this experience with in mind, you have an important decision to make: Do you want to go out for fondue, or should you prepare it at home with your own cooking equipment?
We here in the States tend to think of it as the ultimate romantic date. In fact, if you make a reservation in an exclusively fondue cafe, you may well be asked if it is a special occasion. That’s how special we think fondue is!
Going to a restaurant is easy. All it costs you is money. Everything else is handled for you. REstaurants have all the intricacies of fondue figured out. Your date meal would likely go something like this if you order a four course fondue dinner for two: House salad, cheese fondue (yum!), entree (thinly sliced beef, chicken, shrimp, or pork) cooked on a hot griddle or in a pot of oil (double yum!!), and finally chocolate fondue (triple yum!!!).
Everyone knows the tradition of romance- if you drop a piece of your dipping french bread into the molten cheese, you have to kiss someone.
The other alternative is creating a special meal at home yourself. Fondue is not the most difficult dish. It’s actually pretty simple. The key is having good ingredients and good equipment.
Visit your local gourmet food store. Most crucial of your cooking ingredients is the cheese. Go for aged Emmental and Gruyere cheeses. These are your most vital ingredients, along with your large cubes of firm bread. Shop for excellent items at fair prices.
For food prep, your fondue melting pot can be electric or one that uses a portable fuel canister. Your elongated fondue forks may be included with your pot, or purchased separately.
Whether you decide on a restaurant date or DIY home cooking, either way it is sure to be a memorable date, and one that will be enjoyed by everyone.