I’m not sure I fully understand the connotation of clichéd romance that attaches to fondue. An activity involving pointy-ended utensils and lava-hot liquid cheese seems like a set-up for disaster when it comes to couples. Now that I think about it, the romance may only apply to the chocolate version, which is explainable by the chocolate-as-aphrodisiac urban myth. Regardless, I would never choose fondue as a First Date Night activity, lest the obligation to display table manners inhibit the cheese-dipping free-for-all that fondue should be.
Because in the end, whether it's date-ready or not, fondue provides a marvelous opportunity to submerge things in cheese. Fine, not just cheese: white wine and aromatics add a full-bodied, grown-up taste to the concoction. Traditional dipping items include cubes of bread, potatoes, steamed broccoli and other vegetables. But why stop there? Why not exercise one's full creativity when it comes to amassing vehicles for cheese? I have a feeling that the standard pairings are just based on what happened to be lying around in the average northern European household when fondue was invented, and the 21st century American kitchen contains many things that would benefit from a vigorous swirling in a pot of molten cheese.
Beef jerkey, for example. The flatness of a small strip provided an excellent platform for a generous amount of cheese to rest on, and the flavor was reminiscent of a smoky ham and cheese sandwich. Tortilla chips were also successful; Southwesterners have long been dipping them into bowls of queso, but I found the tanginess of the wine-cheese alloy to be much more pleasant than pure melted Velveeta. As the meal progressed, I took to wrapping various items in basil leaves before skewering them, and found it to be a universal improvement. Inspired by a snack my mother used to give us involving cheese wrapped in basil and apple skins (yes, just the crunchy part closest to the edge - I have no idea what became of the rest of the apple) and drizzled with olive oil, I folded a leaf around a chunk of apple and dipped it in. Another testament to the savory potential of fruit.
This was our first time making cheese fondue, so we didn't get too crazy. And I'll admit, the classics were in some ways the best: the crusty bread cubes were able to soak up the flavor of the wine while giving the cheese something to hold on to (the two substances didn't, uh, entirely come together due to our adding the cheese at an overly enthusiastic pace). But as we hone our skills with future attempts, the dipping items are sure to get more and more outrageous. I'm thinking sushi. Kristen suggested cubes of cheese, and I think she might be on to something.
Ok, now I'm hungry.
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