A Pool of Chocolate - Chocolate Thursdays

Ever wonder where Chocolate Fondue originated? You may be surprised to learn that legend has it originated in New York in the 1950’s. But before we get to that let’s take a look at how fondue got its start.


This tantalizing and sexy dish we know today as fondue actually comes from some very humble beginnings, dating back to the 18th century. Swiss villagers who were not able to reach large towns due to long and freezing winters, had to rely on foods such as cheese and bread which were made during the summer and expected to last through the fall and winter months.

The villagers found if they heated the cheese over a fire it improved the taste of the stale cheese. Bread would soften when dipped into the cheese and become much easier to eat. They soon began to experiment adding wine and other seasonings to transform the hard bread and old cheese into a palatable meal. The lack of sufficient utensils, as these villagers were quite poor, and needing to gather around the fire to keep warm, probably explains why fondue is eaten out of one pot.

To this day, fondue has the connotation of a communal meal. This communal image is what generated popularity for fondue parties in the sixties and seventies.

Traditional fondue is comprised of Gruyere and/ or Emmenthaler cheese and wine. These ingredients are melted in a communal pot. Cherry brandy is added to the melted fusion, which becomes the delectable dipping pool for pieces of stale bread.

So how did we go from cheese to chocolate? Allegedly in the 1950's Konrad Egli created chocolate fondue while he was Chef at New York's Chalet Suisse Restaurant (no longer in business).

A very dear friend of mine gifted me with a chocolate fondue set and Toblerone chocolate bars, one Christmas, along with this recipe for chocolate fondue or as I like to call a pool of chocolate:
 
 
                 

Break the Toblerone chocolate into separate triangular pieces. Combine Toblerone, cream, and brandy in a saucepan or chocolate fondue pot. Stir over low heat until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Serve fondue in a chafing dish or fondue pot over a low heat.

I like to cut Angel food cake or ladyfingers, in chunks and serve either alone or with a combination of : cherries (pitted), orange sections, apple slices, sliced or whole strawberries, sliced banana chunks.

Other fun and tatsy dippables for your chocolate pool:


• Peaches
• Pineapple
• Mango
• Cherries
• Pound cake
• Cheesecake
• Merigue kisses

Let your imagination guide you! When was the last time you hosted a Fondue Party (chocolate or cheese)?


 

images: google search