Dear Home-Ec 101,
Four months ago, we had a birthday party for a friend. One person made a really awesome chocolate fondue into which we dipped marshmallows and assorted fruit. It was heavenly. Rather than disposing of the leftover fondue at the end of the night, one of us just put it in the fridge to deal with later. It’s later! Yes, seriously, four months later. The fondue is still in its cute vintage 1970s fondue pot, in the fridge at my friend’s house. I want to take care of this for her, but I’m not sure how to start. Will I need to heat it up and then dispose of it? Before you ask, no, I haven’t opened the lid and looked. (Hold me; I’m scared!)
Signed,
Fond-ewwww
Dear Fond-ewwww,
While the chocolate fondue may not be pretty, we can guarantee you that it won’t be the worst refrigerator science fair project ever created. The chocolate fondue’s high sugar content will have helped preserve the sauce, so it may not even look like a chia pet gone horribly awry.
If the fondue has completely dried out and solidified in the past few months, reheating it gently should help soften it enough to scoop out with a spatula. However, before putting it on the burner, let the pot come to room temperature as you don’t want to shock the metal (we assume it is metal) on a piece of vintage cookware.
Once you have the bulk of the fondue in the trash can, clean the pot with very hot water, dish soap, and elbow grease, just like any other pot.
And if you’re curious, Peggy Post says that in the case of potlucks, the owner of the fondue pot, not the hostess, is responsible for retrieving the item.
Send your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com.
