9 April 2012
Let's begin with the hardware. You'll need a clean, functional fondue pot and a source of heat for it. Some fondue pots use Sterno canned fuel while others use tea light candles. Ensure you are familiar with the heat source required for your particular pot. It also helps to have a few extra cans of Sterno or candles just in case your guests decide to linger around your fabulous fondue.
Next, you'll need items to dip. Always look for a variety of colors. We eat first with our eyes, so remember to make your presentation as delicious to the eyes as the chocolate will be to the palate. Some simple items to start with are the standards: strawberries and cubes of cake. Ensure that your strawberries have their greens removed and are fresh, clean and dry. A wet or mushy strawberry can really ruin the mood. Although angel food cake is a lovely idea, it does have a tendency to break up in the fondue, leaving you with lumps in your chocolate and a guest disappointed about the cake that got away. Pound cake, on the other hand, holds its shape nicely and is easy to cut into cubes.
Some other ideas for dippers are:
Banana slices. Use a firm, ripe banana and slice it about one-half to one inch thick. The banana and chocolate combination is quite smooth.
Kiwi: Peel a whole kiwi, then cut it in half and slice the halves so that you have little half-moon shaped pieces that are about a half-inch thick. The kiwi/chocolate combination is uncommon, yet quite tasty.
Orange: Peel a seedless orange, tangerine or tangelo and separate the wedges. The combination of chocolate and sweet citrus is most exciting.
Berries: Blackberries and Raspberries, if they are large and firm, make for lovely dippers.
Marshmallows: Large marshmallows, dipped in chocolate, are always welcome. If you want to have a little fun with it, consider adding different flavors of graham crackers as well so that your guests can enjoy the ever-popular s'mores.
Chocolate Fondue • Opuss № I