Fondue is a fun food that has a habit of coming back to the foodie scene time and again.  And what’s not to love?  Crusty bread smothered with thick, creamy melted cheese or sweet strawberries draped with hot, silky smooth chocolate – yum!  Great Party Fondue by Peggy Fallon (aka Foodie Peggy) shares delicious fondue recipes that will liven up parties, friendly gatherings, and romantic evenings.  As Peggy says “Half the fun of fondue is the ritual; the other half, of course, is in the eating”.  Great Party Fondue helps with both.

Great Party Fondue has a nice mix of fondue recipes including both cheese and chocolate centric fondues as well as savory fondues that will convince you fondue can be a lot more than cheese and chocolate. One particularly interesting savory fondue is the Chipotle Sweet Potato Fondue.  Still, as a cheese worshiper I particularly enjoyed the various cheese fondue recipes that included artisanal and farmstead cheeses.

Are you wondering which fondue is Peggy’s favorite?  Well, in a recent interview on GlamDish by Amy Sherman, Peggy talked about her favorite recipes including Parmesan Fondue with Pesto, which sounds divine.   I found myself particularly partial to the Brie Fondue with Crab and Champagne (see recipe below) which would be perfect to share for a classy gathering with friends over a bottle of bubbly. Or if you want something a bit more casual the Southwestern Chile Cheese Fondue (see recipe below) is another of Peggy’s favorites that I also find particularly tempting.

Brie Fondue With Crab and Champagne

From Great Party Fondue by Peggy Fallon, Wiley 2008.

A New Year’s celebration would be the perfect time to present this lavish fondue, which is as easy as it is elegant. The most time consuming part is trimming the rind from the cheese. (Although edible, the rind will not melt completely, and it lends an unpleasant flavor to fondue.) If you have any flat, leftover champagne, use it here. Look for a young, fresh Brie with few striations in the rind and no smell of ammonia. Serve with bread cubes or sticks, tiny roasted artichoke hearts, Belgian endive leaves, steamed fingerling potatoes, or asparagus spears.

Makes about 3 1⁄2 cups; 8 to 10 appetizer servings

• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 1⁄4 cups brut champagne or sparkling wine
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 pound Brie cheese, well chilled, rind removed, cheese cut into small cubes
• 8 ounces crabmeat, drained well and picked over to remove any shell or bits of cartilage
• Dash of cayenne pepper
• Salt
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives

1. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 to 2 minutes, without allowing it to color. Whisk in the champagne and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, whisking until thickened and smooth. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Gradually stir in the Brie, letting each addition melt before adding more. Stir in the crab and cayenne. Season with a dash of salt if needed.

3. Transfer to a fondue pot, preferably ceramic or enameled cast iron, and sprinkle the chives over the top. Regulate the heat under the pot, if possible, so that the cheese fondue remains warm, not hot.

Southwestern Chile Cheese Fondue

From Great Party Fondue by Peggy Fallon, Wiley 2008.

This fondue blends Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese with light cream, cream cheese, and plenty of Southwestern flavor. Offer sturdy tortilla chips, warm flour tortillas, chunks of cooked chorizo sausage, and plenty of crunchy fresh vegetables as dippers.

Makes about 5 cups; 6 to 8 main-course or 12 to 14 appetizer servings

• 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
• 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
• 2 tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped, or 1 can (14 1⁄2 ounces) petite cut diced tomatoes,
•  well drained
• 2 or 3 jalapeño or Serrano chile peppers, seeded and minced
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 2 cups light cream or half-and-half
• 6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1⁄8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro and/or scallions

1. In a large bowl, toss the Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese with the cornstarch to coat.

2. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, chile peppers, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the moisture evaporates, about 5 minutes. Pour in the light cream and cook, stirring, until the sauce just reaches a boil. Reduce the heat to low.

3. Break the cream cheese into small pieces and gradually stir into the hot chile-tomato sauce until melted and smooth. Gradually stir in the shredded cheese mixture, letting each addition melt before adding more. Stir in the lime juice, cumin, and cayenne. Taste, adding salt if needed.

4. Transfer to a fondue pot, preferably ceramic or enameled cast iron. Sprinkle the cilantro and scallions over the top and serve at once. Regulate the heat under the pot, if possible, so that the cheese fondue remains warm, not hot.

About Great Party Fondues

Impress your guests and take home entertaining to a new level with the recipes from Great Party Fondues, a guide to everything you need to know about preparing and serving great-tasting fondue with expert advice on fondue pots, ingredients, safety, and even etiquette. Whether they prefer cheese, savory, or dessert fondues, your guests will devour traditional favorites like Classic Swiss Fondue, international dishes like Rumaki, and innovative new recipes like Chipotle Sweet Potato Fondue. Twenty-eight stylish color photographs will inspire you to follow the straightforward advice and no-fuss recipes.

Available at Amazon.com

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