Want To Throw The Best Old-School Fondue Party? Here's Who You Need To Talk To

One of my favorite holiday traditions is making a pot of cheese fondue for my family on New Year's Eve. It's casual, communal, delicious, and absolutely indulgent (it also pairs well with glasses of prosecco). But I take a major shortcut in making my fondue and purchase pre-blended packs of cheese, which I simply melt over low heat. Though creating your own fondue cheese from scratch isn't difficult, it can be intimidating for the novice. Fondue typically involves a mix of cheeses, so if you don't know where to start, hit up a professional cheesemonger for guidance.

A good cheesemonger knows the ins and outs of cheeses and can recommend pairings, knows the seasonality of cheese, and will be able to advise on a great cheese combination for your ideal fondue party. At its most basic, fondue mixtures involve wine, cheese, flour, and a splash of sweet liqueur — kirsch is traditional, but something like sherry or Chambord can also be used. Because fondue is Swiss in origin, it historically involves combining gruyere with other Alpine cheeses, such as Swiss and gouda. Emmentaler is also popular, as are fontina, Comté, and raclette. 

But, ultimately, tell your cheesemonger what cheeses you like because you may be able to make a fondue mix utilizing your favorites. For example, fondue with a cheddar base is possible; it's typically mixed with another variety that's creamier and more meltable. If you love blue cheese, you can work with that, too, but you'll need to combine it with something extremely creamy, like cream cheese.

While settling the question of what cheeses will make up your cheese fondue is the most important part of your fondue party, extra fun is found in the dippers and other details of your soiree. It's fun to play up the era in which fondue was in its heyday (that was the 1960s in the United States), so consider serving martinis or Manhattans. White wine is perfect with cheese fondue, but so are beers, acidic red wines, and hard ciders. Run your beverage choices by your cheesemonger, too, as they will be well versed in pairing your cheeses with drinks.

Your dipping ingredients may also vary depending on your cheese mix, so feel free to discuss some options with your cheese expert as well. Traditional cheese fondue is great with a range of goodies, like chunks of bread, slices of apple and pear, boiled or crispy roasted potatoes, cherry tomatoes, cornichons, cured meats, roasted Brussels sprouts, and mushrooms. Cheddar fondue would be excellent with soft pretzels, broccoli, cauliflower, and chunks of bratwurst. With blue cheese fondue, dunk entire Buffalo wings, pieces of steak, carrots, and celery sticks.