Cheesemaker Emmi USA has identified a prime opportunity to leverage this social eating occasion and will be encouraging fans to “huddle-up” around fondue on game day with family and friends.
But if you’re thinking fondue has lived out its glory days, guess again. After falling out of the mainstream for a bit, fondue is making a comeback.
“Fondue is enjoying renewed interest and awareness from consumers,” said Linda Duwve, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Emmi Roth USA, Inc. “This past year, several gourmet food magazines featured articles on fondue recipes, which really got us excited! People are starting to put fondue back in their lineup for parties and family meals.”
And given the shareability of fondue, the meal is perfect for parties and tailgates as an easy and fun way to explore new flavors.
“Those who are embracing fondue see the joy it brings to social gatherings and shared food experiences,” Duwve said. “In addition to the experimental aspect, it is easy to prepare and fun to pair with many other ingredients.”
Which is why Emmi USA will be providing inspiring ideas for creative dippers and recipe enhancers for upscale tailgating all season long via their social media sites.
Mixing It Up
The opportunities for cheese fondue are as abundant as the cheese category itself and growing with each new unique application.
Emmi Roth alone offers fondue products with enough variety to satisfy the fast and easy application or the base blend with the opportunity to make it unique.
“We offer our Emmi Original Fondue blend in a ready-to-serve pouch with all of the ingredients, including white wine and Kirsch brandy,” Duwve said. “For those who would rather add their own ingredients we have Emmi Fresh Blend Fondue, which contains Emmentaler, Le Gruyère AOP, and a little corn starch. Finally, this fall we are launching a new Ready-to-Serve Fondue with the dominant flavor of Le Gruyère AOP cheese.”
There is no need to stick strictly to what is offered, and exploration leads to fun and interesting pairings.
“We’re encouraging people to add recipe enhancers, such as fresh herbs, hot sauce or to use as a sauce and serve with shrimp or other seafood,” Duwve said. “We want them create their own rules for fondue. While crusty bread and boiled potatoes are tradition, we’re hoping people get creative with foods they enjoy in their everyday life. Melted cheese and bacon: Why not? We’ve even tried dipping cooked pasta for a “deconstructed” macaroni and cheese.”
With so many applications, cheese fondue is sure to score a touchdown at any tailgate.
