You Think You Don't Need Fondue Forks, But Here's Why You Do

Nobody wants to buy a kitchen product that they will only ever use a handful of times. But sometimes, unique items can be repurposed for different objectives. Let us consider the fondue fork — whose name points to its intended use. The item is an uncommon kitchen tool that can prove itself to be quite versatile if you are willing to get creative. 

First, what is a fondue fork? A fondue fork is longer in length and has fewer tines than the traditional fork. There are several popular types of fondue, including cheese, meat, and chocolate. Fondue forks for cheese or chocolate fondue dishes typically have three tines — or prongs. The sharp tines pierce through dipping items, like bread, potatoes, and strawberries, and maintain the hold as it is being dipped in the sticky substances. Meanwhile, meat fondue involves dipping raw meat into hot oils or broths. For those, fondue forks with two prongs are recommended. Regardless, fondue forks have an extended length that allows people to dip the food in the warm liquid without being at risk of touching it, though chocolate fondue forks can sometimes be found in shorter lengths.

If you find yourself wanting to buy a fondue fork for a special occasion, or maybe you saw a nifty one at a thrift store, go ahead and make the purchase. The specialty fork can be used in a variety of helpful ways when it comes to serving, like reaching food in small jars.

Fondue forks can come in handy for reaching foods out of small jars. Pickle and olive jars are both commonly elongated and thin, making it difficult to pluck the food out of the jar once it gets toward the bottom. And given that the jarred products have a long shelf life, most people are bound to be faced with this dilemma. With sharper ends and fewer tines, fondue forks are designed to pierce through food with a lesser risk of it falling off the fork. Therefore, once you acquire a fondue fork, you can just use the utensil to grab the food out of the pesky jar rather than being at risk of getting your hand stuck or getting the brine on your fingers from using a traditional fork. 

Additionally, people who love fondue probably also love charcuterie. It is a similar concept, often involving a smattering of different options. Fondue forks can be great for serving charcuterie and food trays that may feature special dips for large groups of people. These forks can help guests serve themselves without spreading their germs or dropping their food. When eating fondue, guests are expected to use the fondue fork to dip the food item in the hot substance and then bring it to their plate, where they then eat the dipped food with their own silverware. The same process can be used to consume similar dishes, like a vegetable tray with a savory onion dip.