Hello and welcome to another episode of Family Tree Food and Stories.

I'm your co host, Nancy May.

And today, we're turning up the heat on February.

With a show that's all about the letter F.

Food, family, fondue, and yes, a few fiascos.

Why all the Fs, you ask?

Well, it's February.

And the second month of the year always seems to fly by faster than we'd like.

Oops!

Three more Fs!

Anyway, Sylvie and I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate the

final week of February, and yes, two more Fs, than with stories that bring

together food, family, and a few flops, with food that starts with the

letter F. this one is about fondue.

So, grab your fondue forks and get comfy as I dive into this rich and cheesy

story with a few traditions and yes, a mishap, off fixing up things for our March

episodes of Family Tree Food and Stories.

The First Fondue

Fondue has always been a family fixture in our house.

So much so that my parents were practically famous for it, but

let me tell you how it all began.

It was one frosty February evening in New York when my parents stumbled upon

their first fondue setd to their good friends Hank and Catchy Childs, who had

a flair for unforgettable introductions.

who had a flair for unforgetable introductions

In fact, they were the ones who introduced Mom and Dad.

That night, the Swiss Embassy was filled with a heavy aroma of melting cheese.

My parents, curious and adventurous as always, decided to give the fondue a try.

One bite, and they were hooked.

Or should I say, nabbed like a mouse in a trap.

But by the end of the evening, Dad had befriended the chef.

And mom was asking for the recipe.

before leaving the event, they found the perfect, and yes, original, Swiss

fondue set at the Embassy Gift Shop.

That set, with hand painted images of boys and girls on each plate, became the

centerpiece of many family gatherings, Christmas Eve dinners, And gatherings

with really close friends and family members often had them bringing out that

fondue set with a twinkle in their eye.

At every cheesy meal, I remembered how my sister and I would carefully

try to keep track of those forks, There was always a little colored

tip at the end, so you could tell.

Which fork belonged to who?

And as a piece of bread fell off someone's fork, into the pot, well,

the punishment was really a sweet one.

You had to kiss the person sitting next to you.

It was a perfect blend of family, food, fun, and friends.

Over the years, that original fondue set began to crack and eventually did break.

My mom was heartbroken each time a piece was broken because it kind of felt like

losing a little part of our special family moments together, and yes, our traditions.

But the memories that that set created, oh they still live with us today.

Fondue for us has never been just about food.

It's about the laughter, the stories, the connections that are made around

the table of bubbling hot cheese.

It was a tradition that my mom and dad created for our family.

One that brought us closer and always made us laugh.

One, lost piece of bread at the bottom of the fondue pot at a time.

And by the way, if you have never had fondue, the cherished Piece of

gold at the end of the pot is that gooey crust right at the bottom

when all that cheese is gone.

Before I continue, I'm going to take a little break to show you how you can find

ways to create your own family traditions.

Or remember the ones that you've got and make sure that they

continue through the generations.

Now let's get back to how Bob and I are carrying on that tradition.

When Bob and I got married, we knew we had to carry on that tradition of fondue.

We had many meals together with mom and dad over that cheesy gooey delight.

And it took a lot of hunting, but we eventually found our

fondue pot at a little specialty shop in Darien, Connecticut.

From then on, fondue became a signature winter dish for our New Year's Eve

and many other times spent around our dining table, with close friends.

Every time we brought that pot out, the stories flowed, as freely as the wine.

Conversations would bounce across the table alongside forks filled

with cheese, shrimp, and even dessert fruit dipped into chocolate.

Fondue isn't just a meal.

It really is an experience.

A way of bringing people together and creating memories that just

stick with you over the years.

Now, speaking of wine, let me tell you about one special memorable fondue night

with our dear friends Mary and Marc.

I call this one the Magic Reappearing or Disappearing Bottle of Wine.

One cold evening in February, we decided to To try a new fondue restaurant in town.

We had high hopes, not just for the food, but for the stories and

the laughter that always ensue after having fondue with friends.

Unfortunately, the fondue at this restaurant was quite the letdown.

The cheese was bland and watery, and I've never had such a bland taste of a pot of

anything before, in addition, the portions were small, and the wine we ordered

was, eh, rather mediocre and certainly overpriced for what we were getting.

still, we were determined to have a great evening with our dear friends.

After all.

It was fondue, and even a bad batch with good friends is enjoyable.

the four of us soon polished off that bottle of wine, and yes,

the pot of fondue, but we really didn't want to order anything more.

However, we also didn't want the evening to end.

but Bob, ever the problem solver, had a spark of inspiration.

I've got more wine in the car, he said.

You see, Bob had been making homemade wine in our garage.

For while now.

And he'd brought a few bottles to give to our friends.

So, out to the car.

He and Marc went, braving the cold, to retrieve one of Bob's

perfect poodle, Pinot Noir.

Named after our poodle, Pearl.

But how do you sneak a bottle of wine that's been in your car into a restaurant?

That's where Marc's trench coat came in handy.

before leaving the table, they slid that empty bottle of wine into Marc's

coat, Then returned to the car to fill it with Bob's Homemade Brew.

Using the Westport News as a funnel, They poured that wine into

the empty bottle, And snuck it quietly back onto our dining table.

And we toasted to our friends with our new, And yes, more delicious bottle

of wine, while trying to contain our laughter while our waitress lifted

and looked at the bottle half empty and continued to ask somewhat puzzled

if we wanted to order another one.

the third trip to the car.

Bob and Marc could barely keep a straight face.

Passersby must have thought they were doing something rather shady or sexual,

running back and forth to the trunk of the car in a dimly lit parking lot.

That night, we might not have had great fondue, but the

four of us still to this day.

Laugh till our sides ache about that evening.

of course, not every fondue story is smooth and delicious.

Take my Aunt Pat, for example.

She was known as a great cook and had a reputation for fabulously wild, fun

dinner parties, always hosting with a flair to support her husband's career.

My Uncle Nate.

One year while living in Sydney, Australia, she decided to host a

fondue party to impress Nate's boss.

She set the table beautifully, beautifully.

Opened the windows to let the evening breeze in, but shortly after setting the

fondue pot on the table, disaster struck.

A gust of wind caught the edge of the curtains, and suddenly

there was a lot more than toasting bubbling cheese in that dining room.

thankfully they were able to put that fire out quickly.

With only a charred curtain as evidence of the evening's unexpected flambé.

The fondue, however, was saved, and Pat's dinner party was a memorable success.

It also cemented my aunt's reputation as a hostess who could handle

literally anything unexpected.

Fondue.

Yes.

The letter F. Family, fun, friends, and fondue.

The letter F. Hmm, it certainly is one that brings about memories and stories.

Fondue is a great way to wrap up February if you haven't tried cheese, meat, fish,

or dessert fondue yet, it's worth it.

Will inevitably be one that will produce some sort of interesting

or at least memorable stories worth sharing for years to come.

I guarantee that any find de you create and serve with family and friends.

will result in fabulous stories, fonder friendships, and maybe even a few faux

pas, but hopefully not fires, that will be talked about for years to come.

If you've never made a fondue and want to know how to do so, I placed a link

in the show notes to a PDF that gives you exact directions on how to do so.

At least one of our favorite recipes.

Sadly, this story comes to an end, and it's time for this group of

February episodes to come to a close.

Sylvia and I hope that we're inspiring you to test, create, and

try new traditions of your own.

ones that will give you stories to talk about for years to come.

While doing so, please take a moment to follow, share, and rate this show.

Doing so will help us create a family sized helping for more episodes

of Family Tree Food and Stories.

Until next week, dig into some new treats, some new stories,

some new traditions, and memories.

And ciao.

Bye bye.