Happy New Year! I hope you all enjoyed some time with loved ones over the holidays. It’s still a really difficult time to navigate I know. I have two small children, 5 and 8 and they aren’t yet fully vaccinated against COVID-19 so we have kept our circle very small including over the holidays. I really wanted to do something special for New Years Day this year, something the kids would really enjoy. So I decided to forego my usual ham dinner and have a fondue. I love the interactive aspect of a fondue. I thought I’d share what we serve along with our fondue and some dip recipes to give you a few, possibly new, ideas for your next one. If you’ve never had a fondue before, I’m sure you will find something in this post useful. I used to be so nervous to put on a fondue meal but now that I’ve done a few, they are really quick and easy to put together!
I think a selection of yummy dips is a must. We’ve tried a few over the years including Canton brand (which was delicious) but my three favourite are the ones pictured above. There really isn’t a recipe as there are only two ingredients in each. The dips are: Garlic Mayo Dip, Mushroom Mayo Dip and Curry Mayo Dip. For the Mushroom Mayo Dip, to approximately 1 cup of mayonnaise add 1/4 cup chopped fresh mushrooms. For the Garlic Mayo Dip, to approximately 1 cup of mayonnaise add 1 tbsp minced garlic. For the Curry Mayonnaise Dip, to approximately 1 cup of mayonnaise add 1 -2 tsp curry powder. So simple but delicious with all the meats mentioned above!
Our favourite bouillon is the Canton brand. We use one carton for a meal. Whatever you do, don’t throw out the bouillon that’s leftover in your fondue pot at the end of the meal. Cool it, then refrigerate or freeze for the most delicious addition to rice or noodles. It will be concentrated in flavour since it will have reduced considerably while cooking the meats and it will also have all that yummy goodness from the meat and seafood. I added our leftovers to a chowmein dish the following day and it was amazing!
In addition to the meats and dips, I usually serve long grain white or brown rice. A salad is a nice way to round out the meal or you could do a fresh veggie platter with dip. I’ve never done the veggie platter with it but plan to in the future. I know my family would enjoy it. I usually have a baguette sliced and served at the table with butter. It’s tasty alongside the fondue and gives everyone something to munch on while their meat is in the pot. For the adults, I usually serve a nice chilled Pinot Grigio with this meal, it tends to go really well with the chicken and seafood served. If you’re a red wine fan, something light to medium bodied would be fantastic with this meal. Zinfandel or Pinot Noir in the light bodied range or a Merlot if you want something a little deeper in flavour.
I really hope you will enjoy some of these suggestions for your next fondue. It’s a great way to enjoy a meal together and have time for conversation and interaction. I think that’s why my kids enjoy it so much. They love being able to choose their meat and cook it themselves. It’s actually an easy meal to put together but make sure you have lots of time for sitting down and just savouring the food and those special family moments that will inevitably happen when you enjoy a fondue together.
Stay safe and well everyone! xo
