I saw this idea on Everyday with Rachel Ray and had to share it!
Whether you're throwing a Fall dinner party, a chic Halloween bash or Thanksgiving cocktails, this pumpkin fondue bowl is the perfect decor feature for your table.
Cut a hole in the top of the pumpkin, large enough to fit a bowl. Use it to hold dip, or pour melted cheese or chocolate in it for a fondue set up!
The best dipping things for cheese fondue are bread chunks, salami, green apples, and summer sausage!
And if you're going all chocolate, I think fruit and marshmallows work the best! Give it a try, you won't be disappointed. Thanks for the idea, Rachel Ray!
Now, if you've never done a fondue before, I'll share my favorite easy cheesy fondue recipe. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 6 ounces Emmentaler or Swiss cheese, shredded (1-1/2 cups)
- 6 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded (1-1/2 cups)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 clove garlic, halved
- 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dry white wine
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Kirsch or other cherry brandy (optional)
- Dash ground black pepper
- Dash freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 loaf crusty country bread, torn into 1-inch chunks
Directions
- In a medium bowl, combine Emmentaler and Gruyere cheeses. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Add cornstarch; toss gently to combine. Set aside.
- Rub the inside of the pot (or Dutch oven, whichever you use to serve the fondue) with the halved garlic clove. Discard garlic.
- In the same pot, heat (on the stove) wine over medium heat until small bubbles rise to the surface. Just before the wine boils, reduce heat to low and stir in cheeses, a little at a time, stirring constantly and making sure cheese melts before adding more. Stir until mixture bubbles gently. Stir in Kirsch (if desired), pepper, and nutmeg.
- If using a fondue pot, transfer cheese mixture to fondue pot. Keep mixture bubbling gently over an outdoor grill, open flame, or a fondue burner. (If mixture becomes too thick, gradually stir in a little additional wine.) Fit chunks of country bread onto long skewers. Dip bread into cheese mixture. Makes 8 servings.
