A Valentine’s Day Fondue Celebration

In our book, Valentine’s Day is the best excuse for a well-planned celebration. We tend to skip the dinner reservations for a cozy night at home with good drinks and even better food. This year, we wanted to channel some nostalgia with a Valentine’s Day fondue party featuring a savory twist. A pot of melty, cheesy goodness acts as the table centerpiece for an interactive experience everyone will love. It’s a concept that works for couples, families, galentines, or whoever happens to be around your table. Simply whip up a quick fondue, assemble your accouterments, and dip to your heart’s content.

 

Table Design & Styling: The Identité Collective | Photography: Madeline Harper

 

Valentine’s Day Fondue Party

 

 

The Table Design

 

We kept our table design relatively simple to focus on the fondue experience. The Boska fondue pot is positioned in the center for easy access, with dipping bites displayed on wooden cutting boards on either side. Knotted French lattice napkins add a festive touch of red while our favorite beeswax candles bring the ambiance. 

Our Valentine’s Day fondue party is designed to be a family-friendly affair, so we included a craft to keep little hands busy. You’ll find step-by-step instructions below and, (spoiler alert) it couldn’t be easier to create.

 

More to Read: A Designer’s Guide to Holiday Content

 

 

 

Classic Cheese Fondue

 

recipe via NYT Cooking

 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 small garlic clove, halved
• 1 cup dry white wine
• ¾ pound Gruyère cheese, grated
• ¾ pound Emmenthaler, raclette or Appenzeller cheese, grated
• 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 to 2 tablespoons kirsch (optional)
•  Kosher salt, to taste
•  Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
•  Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste (optional)
•  For dipping: crusty bread cubes; steamed broccoli or cauliflower; carrot, celery or fennel sticks; cubed apple; seedless grapes; clementine sections; cubed salami, soppressata or kielbasa; roasted chestnuts and/or dried apricots.

 

DIRECTIONS

1. 1. Rub cut side of garlic on inside of large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed saucepan, preferably cast iron, rubbing the bottom and halfway up the sides. Add wine and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
   2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss cheeses with cornstarch. Add a handful at a time to simmering wine, stirring until first handful melts before adding next. Reduce heat to medium and stir constantly until cheese is completely melted. Add kirsch, if using, and heat until bubbling, about 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg, if desired. Serve with crusty bread and other accompaniments.

 

 

DIY: Paper Heart Chain

tutorial via One Good Thing

 

SUPPLIES

• Red and White Cardstock
• Scissors
• Stapler

 

DIRECTIONS

1. Start your first piece of cardstock in half.
2. Take the two halves and cut them into strips about 1″ thick. The amount of paper strips you need will depend on how long you want the length of your chain.
3. When you have a reasonable pile of paper strips, stack 4 of them together. Staple the 4 strips together at one end.
4. Pull the two strips on the outsides downward, and hold them together to create a heart shape. Place another strip of paper on each side, line up the edges, and then staple it together. (It should look like there’s a V-shape framing the heart.)
5. Pull the outside strips down again to create another heart, adding more strips before stapling. Continue this process until your chain is as long as you want it to be, then finish by stapling the last heart together.

 

 

 

The Drink: Mulled Wine

recipe via Bon Appetit

 

Did you know that mulled wine isn’t just for the holidays? Here’s how to make it, Valentine’s style. Serve it in a cozy mug, and swap in warmed cranberry juice for the kids.

 

INGREDIENTS

• 20 whole cloves

• 2 tangerines, clementines, or small oranges

• 2 bottles Merlot

• 3 cups fresh apple cider

• 8 Lady apples (optional)

• 2 cinnamon sticks plus extras for garnish

• 2 green cardamom pods, cracked

• 2 cups tawny Port

 

DIRECTIONS

1. 1. Press stem (pointed) end of 10 cloves into each tangerine, piercing through the skin. Place tangerines, wine, cider, Lady apples (if using), 2 cinnamon sticks, and cardamom pods in a large pot.
   2. Bring to a bare simmer over medium-low heat; cook gently for 20 minutes.
   3. Stir in Port. Divide among glasses; garnish each with a cinnamon stick and a Lady apple, if desired.

 

 

Set The Table

 

 

 

French Lattice Napkins

Fondue Set

Ceramic Mugs

Plates (similar)

Rope Floor Lamp

Black Chairs (use code ANASTASIA15 to save)

Cutting Boards (similar)

Evet Rug 

Salad Tossers (similar)

Beeswax Candles 

 

 

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IDCO Studio is a boutique creative agency specialized in beautiful and unique marketing solutions for interior designers. Focused on branding, web design and Instagram marketing, IDCO Studio is a woman owned and operated team of creatives based in Austin, Texas. The Identité Collective, which began as a business blog quickly grew into a collaborative community focused on providing business strategy and visual inspiration to the interior design community.

Now you can find our shop of resources, templates and custom branding and web design work over at IDCO Studio – leaving The Identité Collective as a permanent resource for our beloved design community.