National Fondue Month

November is National Fondue Month and the best private schools in Orlando have fun recipes for you and your child to prepare together. Fondue is a social food where you dip small pieces of food in cheese or broth. It’s cozy and tasty — making it perfect for this time of the year! Celebrate by cooking these child-friendly recipes you can bond over.

Start With Dippers
The options for dippers are endless! Choose meats, bread, fruits, and vegetables. Be sure to blanch the veggies in a pot before serving. Have your child wash the produce, slice the bread (with parental supervision), drizzle olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. She can also creatively plate the colorful variety of foods. And voila — you’ve got yourself a fondue bar! This is a great experience to help your picky eaters who have a hard time eating their fruits and vegetables. Assure her that she will enjoy it drenched in cheese and chocolate! 

Here are some dunker ideas:

• Whole grain bread

• Potatoes

• Carrots

• Apples

• Broccoli

• Strawberries

• Cauliflower

• Celery

Make Cheese Sauce
Get your child involved in the prep with the safe steps. They will feel valuable in the process and find cooking to be enjoyable. First, start by grating the cheese! This is a simple yet crucial task in the cheese-making process. 

The recipe is simple and includes just a few ingredients, including: 

• About 6 cups of your preferred cheese

• 2 cups of half and half

• 3 tablespoons flour

• 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce

• 1 teaspoon dry mustard

• Salt and pepper to taste

In a medium saucepan, heat the half and half, Worcestershire, and mustard over low heat. Stir until hot. Toss cheese with flour in a medium bowl, then gradually stir it into the hot mixture. On low heat, continue stirring until the cheese is melted, smooth, and bubbly. You’ve got yourselves an ooey-gooey sauce! 

And Now For Dessert
Children love chocolate, so adding it into their fondue fun is a little treat for them. Start by boiling 1 ¼ cups of water, ¼ corn syrup, and 1 ½ cups of sugar in a pot. Simmer for 15 minutes until the sugar has reduced. On medium heat, pour a cup of cocoa powder into the mix and blend until smooth. Whisk coconut milk into the chocolate for an extra kick, then reduce heat to low and allow the mixture to summer for five minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in five ounces of chopped chocolate.

If you’d like to go the extra mile, you can purchase a melting pot that turns chocolate chips into puree perfection! It’s safe for your child to use for fondue cooking and makes science sweet for her!

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