Fondue is one of the tastiest, coziest, and most social meals you can put together, so it makes sense to celebrate this truly wonderful dish in the blustery month of November. Can’t make it out to the famed restaurant La Buvette des Bains in Geneva to try the truly authentic version of fondue? Not to worry. With the right cooking equipment, fondue is easy enough to make and share with your favorite people during National Fondue Lovers Month. Oh, and no double-dipping!
National Fun with Fondue Month timeline
Swiss restaurateur Konrad Egli invented chocolate fondue at his Chalet Suisse restaurant in New York as part of a promotion for Toblerone.
Fondue was promoted to Americans inside the Swiss Pavilion's Alpine restaurant at the New York World's Fair.
The Swiss Cheese Union declared that fondue is the Swiss national dish.
The earliest known recipe for cheese fondue appeared in a cookbook published in Zurich under the name "Käss mit Wein zu kochen" — "to cook cheese with wine." It calls for grated or cut-up cheese to be melted with wine, and for bread to be dipped in it.
How to Observe National Fun with Fondue Month
Get the right tools
Most standard fondue pots are made of ceramic and cast iron, and a fondue set will include forks and its own burner.
Have a party
It's essential that you share the deliciousness with your friends. Have people bring sides or drinks while you whip up different versions of the main course.
Explore the variations
From brothy fondue chinoise to oily fondue bourguignonne and wine-flavored fondue vigneronne, it's easy to break away from just having cheese or chocolate.
Dip Into These 4 Fascinating Fondue Facts
The joy of figugegl
As part of its promotion of fondue, the Swiss Cheese Union invented the phrase "Fondue isch guet und git e gueti Luune" — translated to "Fondue is good and creates a good mood", and abbreviated as "figugegl."
Keep an eye on your bread
A tradition says that if a person loses their piece of bread while dipping into the fondue pot, he or she buys drinks all around.
Manners matter
Fondue etiquette requires no double-dipping and no eating directly from the dipping fork.
Dip and sip
Citizens of Geneva only drink hot tea or cold white wine with their fondue, because drinking anything else will probably cause indigestion.
Don't forget the sides
Traditionally, fondue in Switzerland is accompanied by a plate of pickles, pearl onions, and dried meats.
Why National Fun with Fondue Month is Important
It's cozy
Dipping sauce kept warm throughout a blustery fall or winter evening is the definition of comfort.
It's communal
Imagine this: a delicious sauce in a single pot, lots of morsels to dip, and many forks. It's the perfect recipe for a get-together with a bunch of friends for great food and conversation.
It's versatile
In one night, you can move from a beer and cheese fondue to a Thai lemongrass fondue. Then, transition to a roasted garlic broth fondue with chicken or pork — and finish it off with a chocolate, caramel, butterscotch, or s'mores fondue. Expand your dipping imagination!
National Fun with Fondue Month dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | November 1 | Friday |
| 2025 | November 1 | Saturday |
| 2026 | November 1 | Sunday |
| 2027 | November 1 | Monday |
| 2028 | November 1 | Wednesday |
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