Today's fondue has a long and interesting culinary history. Many cultures take credit for dunking pieces of meat, bread and even fruit into hot pots, and the earliest example of fondue is documented in Homer's Iliad, where he describes a mixture of wine, goat's cheese and flour.
The medieval vineyards of Burgundy, France, saw the creation of meat fondues, when workers had to harvest grapes quickly with no time for a noon meal. They heated oil right there in the countryside and dunked pieces of meat into it for a quick bite.
Most people credit the Swiss for refining fondue to the style familiar to us. In Switzerland, fondue emerged as a cooking method in the early 1800s. Because hard cheeses and hard bread were staples in the winter diet of the Swiss, it was only a matter of time before someone realized that dunking dry bread pieces into a warmed mixture of cheese and wine created a delicious meal. Fondue also emphasized the community eating experience, with diners eating from one pot in a demonstration of kinship and unity.
As the culinary marvel spread throughout the world, French chefs bestowed the name "fondue" in the late 1800s from the word "fondre," which means "to melt." The French chef Jean Brillat-Savarin is credited with introducing the dish to America when he left France just ahead of the French Revolution. He wrote three cookbooks that included fondue au fromage, which was slightly different from the Swiss peasant food because it included butter and cream.
After World War II, fondue increased in popularity as returning soldiers from Europe remembered the cheesy dish, and the rich and famous returned to Switzerland to ski and vacation. Once fondue started to show up on the menus of fancy restaurants, it became firmly embraced by the American dining public. The dining style grew in popularity until it peaked in the 1960s and 1970s, when this delicious style of communal dining was brought to home kitchens across the nation courtesy of fondue sets.
With the popularity of fondue as an event-style meal in the 1960s and 1970s, dessert fondues emerged. Dipping pieces of cake and fruit into warmed chocolate or caramel sauces became extremely popular, and sweets are now included in the fondue lineup.
 | If you are trying to come up with a creative activity for another birthday party that will be memorable, fun and inexpensive, consider a fondue party. |
 | Consider hosting a fondue party the next time you're planning a get-together. Fondue parties cut down on your prep time, and the food is delicious. If guests don't know each other that well, the act of communal eating offers an immediate conversation topic. Here's how to do it right. |
You don't need a main course to have a wonderful meal. You and your friends can show off your finest sweet recipes at a dessert party. |
Dinner parties are a very hot trend and a great way to get together with all of your friends on a regular basis. But do you and your friends have a serious sweet tooth? Do you get more enjoyment out of the desserts than the dinner? |
Dessert fondue is going mainstream, especially with the rise in appeal of chocolate fountains, exquisite miniature desserts, and plenty of options to use melted chocolate in unique ways. Making a dessert fondue is a great idea when you've got some entertaining scheduled for the evening; this elegant and fun dessert can serve as a centerpiece at a party or buffet, and will definitely have your guests talking! |
