Cheese Fondue Melting Pot: Exploring The Varieties

The Melting Pot is a restaurant that offers a unique and fun dining experience centred on fondue. With a variety of cheese fondue options, such as the Classic Fondue, Aged Cheddar & Gouda Fondue, and Cheddar Cheese Fondue, the restaurant provides a perfect night out for families, friends, and couples. The Melting Pot's fondue sets and bundles are also available for purchase, allowing customers to recreate the fondue experience at home. The restaurant's fondue options cater to different preferences, with choices of beer, wine, or non-alcoholic bases, and a range of dippers, including bread, vegetables, and meats.

Melting Pot's Classic Fondue

The Melting Pot's Classic Fondue is a traditional blend of Swiss cheeses, perfect for dipping with bread, vegetables, or meats. It is a delicious and creamy fondue that is easy to make and perfect for any occasion, whether you're hosting a fondue party, having a cosy night in, or celebrating with family and friends.

Ingredients:

• Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• Emmenthaler Swiss Cheese (or alternative Swiss-style cheese)
• Beer (traditionally Bud Light, but other light beers or chicken broth can be substituted)
• Garlic
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Dry Mustard Powder
• Cornstarch or Flour

Method:

• Begin by tossing grated cheese with cornstarch or flour, then set aside.
• Turn the fondue pot onto medium-high heat and add beer, garlic, dry mustard, and Worcestershire sauce to the pot. Whisk together to combine.
• Once the beer mixture has come to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low and add one-third of the cheese. Whisk well.
• While continuing to whisk, add in the remaining cheese. Whisk until smooth, then reduce the heat to low and serve immediately.

Dippers:

The Classic Fondue is very versatile and can be served with a variety of dippers, including:

• Bread
• Vegetables (such as broccoli, carrots, or green apples)
• Meats (such as smoked sausage)
• Pretzels
• Potatoes

Tips:

• The Classic Fondue is best paired with a light beer or chicken broth, rather than wine, due to the cheddar cheese base.
• For an authentic Melting Pot experience, use Emmenthaler Swiss Cheese, which has a buttery flavour and is perfect for melting.
• If you prefer a stronger garlic flavour, feel free to add more garlic to the recipe.
• The fondue can be made in a heavy-bottomed pan on the stovetop if you don't have a fondue pot, but it should be served immediately as the cheese will thicken as it cools.
• Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for a day or two and reheated on the stove over low heat.

The Melting Pot's Classic Fondue is a delicious and easy-to-make recipe that is perfect for a fun and memorable dining experience with family and friends.

Aged Cheddar & Gouda Fondue

The Aged Cheddar & Gouda Fondue from Melting Pot delivers a rich, creamy, and robust flavor, with the perfect balance of sharp cheddar and the smooth, nutty notes of gouda. This fondue is perfect for any occasion, whether you're hosting a fondue party, having a family gathering, or simply indulging in a cozy night at home.

Ingredients:

• Aged Cheddar Cheese
• Gouda Cheese
• Flour or Cornstarch
• Olive Oil
• Garlic
• Half & Half
• Nutmeg
• Cloves

Optional Dippers:

• Red Grapes
• Bread Cubes
• Pear Slices
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Instructions:

• Toss shredded cheeses, flour, and nutmeg together in a large bowl. Stir until the cheese is coated with the flour and nutmeg.
• Add olive oil and garlic to a medium saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until fragrant (about 1 minute).
• Reduce heat to low and add the half & half and cheese.
• Let the cheese melt slowly over low heat, stirring frequently until smooth.
• Serve with your choice of dippers and enjoy!

Tips:

• For a festive presentation, serve the fondue in a baked pumpkin bowl. Simply preheat your oven to 350°F, add the cheese fondue to the baked pumpkin bowl, and bake until the cheese is bubbling (about 20 minutes), stirring occasionally.
• If you prefer a thinner consistency, you can add a bit more beer or chicken broth. For a thicker fondue, simply add more cheese.
• While a fondue pot is ideal, you can also make this recipe in a heavy-bottomed pan on the stovetop or using a double boiler. Just be sure to serve immediately, as the cheese will thicken as it cools.

Wisconsin Cheddar Fondue

The Melting Pot's Wisconsin Cheddar Fondue is a perfect blend of sharp cheddar and Emmentaler Swiss cheeses. This fondue is irresistibly creamy and cheesy, making it a delightful pairing with a variety of dippers. The recipe is simple and can be prepared in just a few minutes, making it an excellent choice for a special occasion or a weeknight treat.

Ingredients:

• Medium-sharp cheddar cheese
• Emmentaler Swiss cheese
• Beer (Bud Light, Coors Light, or similar) or chicken broth
• Garlic, chopped or minced
• Dry mustard powder
• Worcestershire sauce
• Cornstarch or all-purpose flour

Optional Dippers:

• Broccoli
• Green apples
• Carrots
• Bread
• Pretzels
• Potatoes
• Smoked sausage
• Other vegetables

Instructions:

• Begin by tossing grated cheese with cornstarch or flour, then set aside.
• Turn the fondue pot onto medium-high heat and add beer, garlic, dry mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Whisk together to combine.
• Once the beer mixture simmers, reduce the heat to medium-low and add one-third of the cheese. Whisk well until the cheese is fully incorporated.
• Continue whisking in the remaining cheese until it is all melted and smooth.
• Reduce the heat to low and serve immediately.

Tips:

• It is essential to grate the cheese yourself, as pre-grated cheese may not melt as well and can become gummy.
• The beer adds a lot of flavour to the fondue. However, if you prefer a non-alcoholic option, you can substitute it with chicken broth.
• The fondue is best served warm, between 120-140°F. Too hot, and it will burn; too cool, and it will solidify.
• Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for a day or two but may not reheat well.

Classic Alpine Fondue

Fondue is a communal dish with a long history in Switzerland. It is said that it was first enjoyed by peasants in the Swiss Alps as a way to use up leftover cheese and bread when food stocks ran low. Fondue was named the national dish of Switzerland in the 1930s and has been growing in popularity ever since.

The Melting Pot's Classic Alpine Fondue is a decadent blend of three kinds of cheese: Gruyère, Fontina, and Raclette. The combination of these cheeses creates a rich and indulgent fondue experience.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups dry white wine
• 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg or 1/4 ground nutmeg
• Up to 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 8 oz shredded Gruyère
• 6 oz shredded Fontina
• 2 oz shredded Raclette cheese
• 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
• Bite-sized cubed baguette
• Small broccoli florets
• Cubed cored green apple
• Grape tomatoes
• Baby carrots

Instructions:

Start by pressing the SAUTÉ button on your Instant Pot and setting the temperature to MEDIUM, NORMAL, or CUSTOM 300°F. Set the timer for 10 minutes. As the pot heats up, pour the dry white wine into the insert. Add the garlic, nutmeg, and pepper, and stir to combine. Continue heating until the mixture simmers, which should take around 5 minutes.

In a separate large bowl, combine all three cheeses with the cornstarch, tossing them together until the shredded cheese is evenly coated. Once the wine mixture is simmering, add the cheese mixture and stir continuously. Keep stirring until the cheese melts and the fondue starts to bubble, which should take about 2 minutes.

Turn off the heat and use hot pads or silicone baking mitts to transfer the hot insert to a nearby wire rack. This step is important to stop the cooking process and prevent the fondue from burning. Serve immediately with the cubed baguette, broccoli florets, green apple, grape tomatoes, and baby carrots for dipping.

If the fondue starts to solidify, you can place the insert back into the pot and turn on the SAUTÉ function to reheat it. Set it to MEDIUM, NORMAL, or CUSTOM 300°F for 5 minutes, stirring continuously, to loosen the fondue.

Tips:

• For an 8-quart Instant Pot, you can double the ingredient amounts.
• For a 10-quart Instant Pot, you can double or even triple the ingredient amounts.
• If you don't have an Instant Pot, you can use a fondue pot, double boiler, or heavy pot to make the fondue.
• Traditional Swiss fondue is made with a combination of Gruyère and other Swiss cheeses like Emmentaler, Vacherin Fribourgeois, Appenzeller, or Raclette.
• For an authentic Swiss experience, dip cubed bread, cooked potatoes, sliced apples, pears, cornichons, pickled pearl onions, or salami into the fondue.
• The person who loses their garnish in the pot usually has to pay a penalty, like buying a round of drinks or cleaning up after the meal.
• The layer of cheese at the bottom of the pot that cooks into a crust is called a religieuse and is considered a reward, eaten at the end of the meal.

Fiesta Fondue

Overview

Ingredients

The key to a great fondue is, of course, the cheese. For Fiesta Fondue, you'll need a blend of cheddar and Emmenthaler cheese. Freshly shredding your own cheese is recommended for the best melting experience. You'll also need a lager beer to help melt the cheese and create a smooth, creamy consistency. To add a spicy kick, finely dice some jalapeños and add them to taste.

Dippers

Method

Preparing Fiesta Fondue is simple. Start by preparing your dippers and shredding your cheese. Then, prepare a double boiler and bring the water to a boil. Place the beer in the top pot and slowly add the cheese until you reach your desired consistency. Finally, mix in the diced jalapeños to taste. Keep the fondue on low heat and stir occasionally to prevent burning.

Tips

When preparing your cheese, it's important to note that measuring by weight will yield better results than measuring by volume. You can also add more cheese to thicken the fondue or more beer to thin it out. If you don't have a fondue pot, you can use a heavy-bottomed pan on the stovetop or a double boiler, but be sure to serve immediately as the cheese will thicken as it cools.

Frequently asked questions