Swanky fondues!

[autumnglow]

Is there such a thing? I'm having a dinner party for 10 and want it to be a relaxed affair but with lovely food. I've decided on a meat and a cheese fondue and was wondering if any of you food gurus had any thoughts on accompaniments, starters and desserts? I've thought as far as meat from farm shop, homemade fondues of course, artisan breads, new pots, toms, and a.n. other veg but would love some advice....

Watching with interest. I've been hankering after fondue. Wondered if I was so far ahead of the trend I'd looped back to the 70s!

I'd do asparagus with butter and black pepper, avocado and tomato salad and maybe some griddled aubergines or courgettes with lemon and mint.

We had a cheese fondue recently and I can report that chunks of bread were by far the best items to dip! I had googled alternatives and we tried button mushrooms and raw broccoli, but all agreed that bread was best. The mushrooms were hopeless as the cheese just slid off!

Also, the fondue was very runny at first - I thought I must have misread the recipe. I was just considering adding some cornflour to thicken it up when I realised that it was slowly getting to the right consistency, so that's something to watch out for.

Is there such a thing as a relaxed chilled fondue party?? Ours always end up with a fight for the bit of meat that's fallen off the fork and everyone far too drunk because they're not dipping and eating enough!

Bloody good fun though! I love a fondue night!

Penguin were you thinking the asparagus as a starry or accompaniment? Does anyone marinade the meat first?