The ultimate comfort food is cheese. Just think of the smell of melted cheese. Add some delicious saucepans and you’re ready to please any palate. Whether it’s a quiet candlelit dinner for two or a joyous party for 20 guests, or just an everyday family meal, fondue is your go-to food. Fondue can be served as a starter, main course, or dessert. Make fondue and it will brighten your day.
When planning your fondue, don’t forget to think about the ladles. There are so many options: deli meats, small pieces of beef, pork, chicken, ham, mini hot dogs, cocktail sausages, or meatballs are great toppings for meat. For vegetarian sauces, think boiled potatoes, asparagus, mushrooms, stuffed olives, potato puffs, broccoli, and cauliflower. Don’t overlook a good fondue dessert either. Some great side dishes for these are cakes, pineapple chunks, pear slices, strawberries, and banana slices. Many of these can be purchased ready-made, so all you have to do is prepare the sauce.
Here’s a great easy cheese fondue recipe to get you started. It uses Velveeta and a green onion cheese. If green onion cheese isn’t available in your area, Monterey Jack and a few sprigs of diced green onions will do the trick. This recipe also swaps out the alcohol with white grape juice. Purple juice would give an unusual color to the fondue, so I recommend white.
Green Onion Velveeta Cheese Fondue
1 1/2 teaspoons white grape juice
2 pounds. Velveeta cheese, cubed
3/4 teaspoon green onion cheese (see below for substitutions), cubed
1/2 teaspoon sour cream
1/2 teaspoon shortening
Put the grape juice in a pan and bring to a boil (or at least let it get very hot). Add the cheeses and stir occasionally until melted. Add sour cream and butter. Cook, stirring occasionally, until smooth.
If you don’t have a fondue pot, feel free to substitute a heavy saucepan. Keep the heat on medium low so it doesn’t overheat and burn the cheese. This will ensure a smooth, even consistency and stay runny enough for your ladles, without becoming a sticky mess. Or, you can use a Pyrex dish over an electric skillet filled with about 1 inch of water.
However, if you choose to buy a new fondue set, you will be very satisfied with your purchase. It will come with the necessary fondue forks, a cookbook, and the necessary heat source to make great fondues. You can breathe new life into your meals and entertain yourself with fondue. Let ‘me help you!
