We’ve been invited to a fondue party this weekend. I think it will just be us and another couple.
I don’t know about them, but we are pretty much fondue rookies.
We have a fondue set though, and so do they. What else do we need?
Give us hints, tips, tricks, things to stay away from …
Thanks!
Mmmmmmmm… fondue. droool
I’ve been told once or twice that you have to kiss the person to your left if you drop your bread into the fondue. Given that, I’d suggest bringing breathmints. 
Yeah, that’s all I got.
I love to fondue!!! Be prepared to do lots of cutting and chopping. Make sure you have plenty of pre-dinner beverages ready for the prepping phase. Sometimes that’s more fun than the actual eating part.
We usually do one fondue pot for cheese fondue with french bread for dipping, (you could also do veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, green peppers, etc) then the 2nd pot with hot oil to cook up various meats fondue-style. Beef tenderloin is best but we also usually get a pork loin and maybe some chicken or lamb. You can find many good cheese fondue recipes on line or we bought a small cookbook with lots of different cheese fondue variations (which would make a great host/hostess gift!)
Having a dessert fondue is always good, too and very easy. Just get some really good chocolate, heavy cream and melt them over low fire. Cut up pieces of angel food or pound cake (or strawberries, grapes, orange slices, etc) and you are set.
Fondue always seems like it’s not enough food, but you will be STUFFED by the time you are done eating.
Oil fondue can make a mess – teenytiny oil splatter adds up by the end of the evening. I recommend using a cheap tablecloth.
Also, do not overcrowd the fondue pot with meat. One of my coworkers tells a nauseating story of going to a fondue restaurant with another couple, and her husband would not listen to reason. Soon thereafter, she found worms in her stool… and the Dr. told her that everyone who shared the pot had to be de-wormed, too. Make sure you cook to doneness.
I recommend limiting yourself to the number of fondue forks you have out, which should keep you from overcrowding the pot.
Also, in addition to chopping up bread, meat, and veggies, you’ll probably want so make some dipping sauces for the fondue’d meats. Usually the fondue pots come with a little book that has some sauce recommendations along with cheese fondue recipies, and such.
Fondue is a slow way of eating. That’s the point. It allows/forces conversation with the other diners.
Don’t eat anything directly out of the oil pot. Too hot. You might think it’ll be greasy, but no. The surface moisture boils away, keeping the oil out.
For the meat/veg, you’ll have a variety of sauces to dip your little foodlet in after cooking.
The dipping forks are numbered. Keep track of your own.
Besides the drop the bread, kiss somebody thing, some other mistake means you buy the wine for the next party. I don’t remember what it is.
Have fon duing it.