I'm doing a fondue, your tips please

[Katiekitty]

I'm planning a fondue for Saturday night.

Any tips?

I have all the fondue kit and forks and what knot.

I'm veggie, so tips on what to dip into the fondue are most welcome.

p.s. It's for a hot date! I've decided to woo a man by cooking him a fondue! Will it work?

Totally second (third?) a quick dip of the bread into alcohol before dipping into the cheese, which was suggested to us by a swiss friend. We usually use nice vodka to dip into though, and I always buy the fondue packs from Sainsburys. Hope you have a great night, fondue is a brilliant thing to do

Important additions to list:

Vodka
Eggs

Am sort of worried about the high cheese content, but as I'm a good size 18 lass, and I'm tall, I should be able to hide it for a day or so. Eek!

One important question - red or white wine? I don't know any more, both have been recommended!

I would go for white, but after couldtry suggested red, I am thrown into confusion

You want to drink the vodka its supposed to dissolve the cheese a bit to stop that middle of the night, stomach full of cheese feeling

Parttime - am currently in the kitchen and I have set aside The Perfect dish for pre-dips.

Am making important note here:

DRINK the vodka.

Consider it done

We have fondue chez our French friends every Feb. He makes it with Beaufort and Comte, and a large amount of Apremont (white wine). We dip in staleish but good quality baguette, and eat it with salad and cornichons. It is delish!

Tilly - am planning a green salad on the side, simple dressing, finger food sort of thing. Served in a big dish, to be dished out into a little bowl each.

Sounds good Katie!

Yum yum yum. Can I come next time to the fondue? Obviously don't want to crash the hot date. < hunts for fondue dish>

Oh yes, and DO NOT drink beer with it - apparently it makes all the cheese form big balls in your belly in the night and makes you feel ill.

And as it's a hot date, take it really easy on how much you eat as you don't want to feel too full IYSWIM !

Would I be better doing a small fondue as a starter and then doing a main course later on?

Fondue is VERY rich! We would generally have it as a main, with just some nibbles before and something very light after. Just make sure you either don't eat too much or only make a smallish amount so that you are not tempted to stuff yourself (learned from bitter experience. Every year )

I have had many swiss students to stay and a few have cooked me fondue, is lovely but go slowly gosh it gives me a banging head. we usually have a peppermint tea after to cleanse the palate as its a bit claggy. should be fun though, enjoy!!!

For after am planning lemon or mango sorbet.

Will stick to fondue being the main dish!

Peppermint tea added to shopping list!

sorbet should be great - update us on how it goes!

I will!

Eeeek!!!!

We do hot oil in a fondue and you can do your own little fried foods. Take your veggies (courgettes and onion strips are super yummy) dip them in flour, egg, then bread crumbs and stash in the fridge until your ready to fry.

How did the date go Katiekitty?

Ooh yes, come on, did the fondue go down well?

Hello!

The fondue was a resounding success

Picture of bubbling cheese now on my profile

Thank you one and all for your brilliant tips!

Yay!

Great! And love the retro fondue set

I didn't have anything to add to your thread, as everyone summed up the ingredients for a classic fondue perfectly.

You'd have made a Swiss woman proud!

A lot of people here have fondue on Christmas day, but they have fondue Chinoise, a broth in which they dip veg and delicate slithers of different meat rolled up.

A lot of people in Switzerland also just buy the ready mix cheese fondue kits, or the cheese mix from their local Coop or Migros. I was quite surprised, I thought everyone would insist on cooking from scratch.

What's next on the menu? Raclette? Rosti?

Mmmm, raclette