Valentine's Day Fondue Date Night at Home

I know we all are sick and tired of the phrase “the holidays look a little different this year”, but my god it’s still true. Overall, Michael & I find ourselves extremely lucky during quarantine; our families are healthy, we haven’t been majorly financially impacted, and we get to see more of each other between me working from the house and Michael no longer needing to travel for away rotations. The one thing I didn’t expect with ✨ living through major historical events ✨ was that we haven’t been as focused on growing our relationship. When the foundation is solid, it can be easy to take it for granted when the bricks of the world start flying. But the bricks haven’t stopped flying. So we need to be intentional about creating special moments at home.

Was this a long winded intro for something as simple and sweet (or would it be savory?) as a fondue date night at home? Yes, but I imagine you and your partner might be feeling it too.

Grab the Basics
For a fondue date night at home, you’ll, obviously, need some way to keep the fondue warm. I got this small crockpot thinking it would be perfect for keeping the fondue warm. Maybe it was the recipe I used, but the crockpot overcooked the cheese after awhile. I’d recommend an electric fondue pot instead so you don’t have to deal with fire & fuel. And who knows- now that you have a fondue pot, maybe this is the start of a fondue date night tradition!

Prep the Food
For a savory, cheese fondue you’ll want a mix of meats, bread, vegetables, and fruit. Aim for at least 1 thing across flavor profiles (salty, sweet) and textures (soft, crisp). I found all of this and the fondue ingredients at Trader Joe’s- they have a charcuterie meat pack and so many different crackers and bread!

What I love about these options is that they require almost no prep. Even the roasted vegetables can be put together on one pan. Heck yes to less cooking stress on Valentine’s day! This is my fondue recipe of choice.

What to Dip in Cheese Fondue

Meat
– prosciutto
– salami
– chorizo
– grilled steak/chicken bites

Bread
– croutons
– sourdough
– breadsticks
– parmesan crisps
– chocolate covered granola bark

Fruits + Vegetables
– roasted potatoes
– roasted Brussel sprouts
– raw radishes
– Granny smith apples
– Barlette pears

Originally I plated everything neatly, but found it was a lot more fun to turn the table into a smorgasbord! Your house, your rules!

Set the Mood
Break out those “special occasion” linens, create a tablescape full of romantic candles, and treat yourselves to a floral arrangement that will make you smile into next week.

While you’re canoodling (that’s a fun word) over fondue, here are some date night activity ideas to really turn the focus on strengthening your relationship:

I think we’re almost all familiar with the 36 Questions That Lead to Love, but have you heard of the Proust Questionnaire? They’re light-hearted questions from a parlor game to “know someone’s true nature”. I’ve enjoyed watching Vanity Fair’s series with these and we played this on our 10 year anniversary trip!

Another great set is this intimacy deck. It has 150 conversation starters around your relationship, romance, trust, openness, and vulnerability. These will be more tailored to established relationships than the 36 questions or the Proust.

In more of an activity mood? These printable, “10 Things I Love About You” cards are a sweet way to put words to your heart. Another good pick is starting the 1-year couple journal to read together next Valentine’s Day. Looking back, I wish I had started one for the first year we lived together and our first year of marriage, then I realized every year will be full of change and growth. It doesn’t need to be a “milestone” year to be beautifully documented.

10/10 date. No reservation, no traffic; just good food and great conversation. Looking at the photos while writing this makes me want to do this again soon 🤤