The problem with kitsch

Those Swiss cheese mobsters proved adept advertisers, and fondue dinner parties ruled the ’60s and ’70s. The dish became synonymous with the Swinging Sixties—so much so that a quick Google search suggests that some people are wary of attending fondue parties, believing them to be a front for key parties.

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But even if that misguided person wanted to attend a fondue party today, they’d have a hard time finding one. Calls to attend informal potlucks and sit down dinners are common, but receiving an invitation to dip assorted vegetables, meats, and carbohydrates into pots of melted cheese is a rarity. Why? Some of the fault surely lies with all those fondue pots abandoned at thrift stores across the country, but it’s possible to make the dish without the associated appliance.

And it’s not like there’s not an appetite for this particular culinary experience. Adam Guillaume, Director of Operations at Geja’s Café—a Chicago fondue institution—says his restaurant has maintained their customer base by updating the dish to accommodate modern health concerns, allergies, and dietary restrictions. Four years ago, Geja’s began offering gluten-free bread and saw a spike in its business. They’ve since experimented with non-dairy and vegan cheeses, though those initiatives were slightly less successful. Today, vegans and the lactose averse are welcome to bring their own non-dairy chocolate to the restaurant and Geja’s will happily melt it for them.

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Over at Chicago restaurant Table, Donkey And Stick, the attitude toward fondue is just as enthusiastic, albeit slightly less traditional. The menu is built around Alpine drinking and dining traditions and it used to offer a fun take on fondue—a soft Swabian pretzel paired with a cauliflower and Comté cheese dip. The option was well-received, but owner Matthew Sussman points out that it’s difficult to integrate fondue into a larger menu. He says, “It’s kind of hard to eat a small pot of fondue, and once you’re eating a pot of fondue, it’s hard to eat anything else.”

Guillaume says he can understand some of the misconceptions around fondue, specifically people’s reticence to pay for a meal they’re technically cooking themselves. But he believes fondue’s real value is in its ability to bring people together “to forget about life and connect with each other.”

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When people take issue with fondue, the problem is usually not the taste. Traditional fondue consists of cheeses—usually varieties like Camembert, Taleggio, Beaufort, Fontina, and Emmental—combined with substances such as white wine, garlic, and black pepper over very low heat. These are not ingredients most people would protest. Rearrange the atoms and you have yourself a wine and cheese fête. Change them again and you have chips and queso, fondue’s more casual, southern cousin.

The exact reason why modern Americans fail to embrace fondue is tough to pin down, but it usually comes back to kitsch. The sentimentality of it all makes us uncomfortable. Fondue parties are too nostalgic, too innocent, and too specific to one demographic, one type of experience. Even if we like fondue as a dish, the experience of throwing the party feels like a novelty, a cute throwback. It feels a little like a performance. And there’s always a small chance one of your guests might set your house on fire.

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But food has never been more performative than the present. We make meals just to take pictures of them and post them on Instagram. We freely share information about our diets, our cleanses, our meal prep. The Swiss Cheese Union sold Americans on fondue by highlighting its aspirational qualities. “Eat fondue and you will be popular, attractive, and athletic!” If ever there was a dish designed for social media, it’s fondue.

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The last few years indicate that culturally speaking, the public is hungry for throwbacks. Anxiety levels are mounting and we’re starving for entertainment that evokes nostalgia, that makes us feel the way we did when we were younger, more innocent, less exhausted. It’s why studios are rebooting shows like Charmed, Dynasty, Murphy Brown... [inhale]... Will & Grace, and Roseanne. It’s why we keep watching The Office, even thought we know every line by heart. It’s comfort food for an uncomfortable time. Maybe now, during the era of reboots, it’s time to bring back fondue.