Quick & Easy Fall Fondue

Oh yes, it is officially Fall. If the cooler temperatures and sweater layers didn't give you a hint, just take a look in your supermarket. All of the Fall foods are out. There are displays with sauces and fixings for your favorite wild game (what is with the Swiss and venison, I ask you?) and some very interesting mushrooms...and all this is a sign that the really good eating is to come. Oh yes... it is time to get out the Fondue pot and Raclette grill.

I asked some co-workers about the whole fondue thing last week, and they said not to even try to make it myself... that it can be difficult and the cheese can get all watery. They instead recommended one of the pre-made fondue kits like one of those pictured below.

Basically you just add wine. Everything else except the bread (like the cheese, seasonings, more cheese, spices, and did I mention cheese?) is included , you just need to swish it all together in the Fondue pot and heat it up 'til all nice and gooey... Pretty nifty.

But I am assuming people make up their own delicious fondues, as I also found something called "Raclette & Fondue Seasoning" in the spice aisle. I tried to figure out what was in this, but all I could read was that it is a "Gewuertzmischung" - or seasoning mix. No help.

I cannot wait to dust off the ol' pot and fire up the raclette grill and gain at least 25.4 pounds this winter (because P.S. the Swiss only eat fondue and raclette from September to February. I have been told this by many a Swiss. My coworker even said that the Cheese Federation of Switzerland - or whatever, I just made that up - created a campaign a few years back to get the Swiss to do the melted cheese thing in the summer and they just weren't having it... go figure... so Fall and Winter it is...).

Only question now is... who wants to come to dinner?! ;)

Have you tried these pre-made mixes...??? Are they any good?