This recipe is adapted from The Fondue Cookbook (Hamlyn editors, 1999) and Williams-Sonoma. Maintain moderately low heat under your fondue pot so the chocolate stays just warm to the touch. According to custom, if a woman drops a piece of what she is dipping into the pot, she must either kiss all the men present or just the man to her left – so plot your guest list carefully.

Serves 6

For the chocolate sauce:
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For dipping:
Pound cake, cut into cubes
Slightly stale croissant pieces
Whole strawberries, rinsed and hulled
Orange segments
Bananas, chopped in 1-inch pieces
Pineapple, chopped in 1-inch pieces
Potato chips and pretzels

Fill the fondue pot with 2 cups warm water and place the pot on the stand. Fill the fuel burner with oil, according to the manufacturer’s instructions, and set it on the stand.

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the cream until steam begins to rise, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the chocolate, and stir until melted, smooth and creamy. Stir in vanilla. Pour the chocolate sauce into the fondue pot insert and place the insert in the fondue pot.

Set the fondue pot on the table and light the fuel burner, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Serve with dipping ingredients of your choice and fondue forks.

Editor’s Note: This is the first of a new monthly feature in Food & Dining of illustrated recipes from Press Herald graphic artist Pete Gorski.