Fondue Friday: Caramel Fondue

Like most of my food life, my love for fondue has a beginning. I was old enough to understand the satisfying undertones of good food mixed with good company, allowing me to evaluate each food experience with cautious wisdom.

Early in our courting days, Dustin and I had arranged to double with dear friends who were more like family to us. (still are) Mike, the husband, is in a sense the world's most lovable cheap sake, not in a tragic sense, but in the most hilarious, pulls it off all the way, wonderfully enduring way. How we convinced him to "cook his own food" and pay "a ridiculous amount of money for some chocolate" I cannot remember, but convince we did. Dustin was an easy sell of course, I was paying and I was going to be there, so he was game for sure. Lori and I had researched the menu prior to the date and had some understanding of which fondue we wanted to try. None of us had previously been to a fondue restaurant and we had made plans to attend the Ballet after dinner. The night came and off we went. The restaurant's atmosphere was nice and we snickered as the waitress went into detail on how not to burn ourselves and other such warnings concerning the method of cooking our food with a fondue pot. (the fondue pot was really hot, really hot!) We had a traditional cheese fondue followed by a surf n turf oil fondue. Mmmmm, fondue. It was good. Mike happened to check his watch after the meat fondue and realized that we had been eating bread cubes and meat chunks for two hours already. This left us no time for dessert and we had to rush out of the restaurant to catch the last 2/3 of the Ballet. The whole evening was delightful and still remains on my top ten date nights list. (the Ballet story will remain for another day!) Needless to say, not having the dessert fondue festered within me. The menu had been filled with temptations that went unrequited. Thus creating my own budding desire for more fondue. I had learned that the beauty of fondue was found in the small bites between endless conversation and the savouring of a full stomach without over eating anything.

For our wedding, Mike and Lori purchased us our first fondue pot, creating a legacy of food love that I hope to pass onto my children.

Now onto the Fondue:

Turtle Fondue

serves 2-4 people

taken from Perfect Recipes for Having People Over, Pam Anderson

8 ounces caramels

2 ounces semisweet chocolate, cut into small pieces

1/4 cup finely chopped toasted pecans or walnuts (optional) *

1/4 cup milk

Combine caramels, chocolate, nuts and milk in a small heavy saucepan ( or a fondue pot) and heat over low heat. Stirring frequently until smooth and warm.

Serve with fresh fruit, graham crackers, angel food cake, lady fingers

*Toast the nuts in a 325 degree oven, stirring occasionally. Bake until fragrant, about of 10 minutes.