Fondue is perfect for a South African winter – all that warm, oozy cheese, served in a communal pot. Though, I’ll be the first to say, it’s easy to overindulge in a haze of bread and cheese.

A couple things to know before you make cheese or chocolate-based fondue for the first time. First, you need to have a good, heavy, thick-bottomed fondue pot. I found a nice, simple white one a few years back, and have since put it to good use. It is just the right size, heavy enameled-lined cast iron (so the cheese won’t scorch on the bottom), and easy to clean. Metal fondue pots are better suited for doing oil-based dipping/frying.

Back to the dip-ables. The trick to having a memorable and tasty fondue experience is dreaming up great things to dunk. Whatever you do, don’t stop with the bread cubes – line up the dip-ables in pretty rows on big platters next to the fondue pot. A few of my favorite things to dip: crusty French or Italian bread, pita wedges,  tortilla chips, croissants, bread sticks or focaccia. Steamed veggies like broccoli, asparagus, green beans, snow peas, or snap peas. Roasted vegetables like cherry tomatoes, red pepper slices, celery sticks, roasted potato wedges, roasted sweet potatoes, parsnips or roasted mushrooms.

Try a green salad with your fondue. Other nibbles can include cornichons, silverskin pickled onions and cured meats.

Fondue Savoyarde

300g grated Emmenthal cheese

300g grated Gruyére

300g Edam or Gouda cheese, grated

6 glasses of dry white wine

1/2 glass of kirsch liqueur

1 clove garlic peeled and crushed

White pepper

One egg

2 or 3 baguettes

On the day before cube the bread and leave to dry and crisp a little One the day itself, select a cast iron or earthenware pot or cast iron saucepan and rub the sides with the garlic. Pour the wine into the pot and place on the stove over medium-high heat Bring the wine to the boil add the cheese and stir slowly with a wooden spoon

Before the cheese is full melted, remove the pot from the stove and place on a lighted fondue burner Season with pepper and add the kirsch whilst stirring Once the cheese has entirely melted, serve with bread and fondue forks. If the cheese bubbles reduce the heat immediately.

When the cheese is almost gone (less than a cupful left), break the raw egg into the pot and stir rapidly with cheese After one minute dump the remaining bread into the pot and stir together Turn off the burner and enjoy what is left!

A fondue needs the right cheese. Those mentioned in this recipe are the most popular, but you can use Vacherin or Appenzeller instead of the Emmental. You could also use a French Comté or Beaufort, but don’t use Cheddar – it won’t give the authentic, stringy texture.

The Italian version of fondue is called fonduta. It is made with Fontina cheese and egg yolks.

White wine is great with fondue, but don’t serve it too cold. This can cause the fondue to solidify in the gut, leading to stomach ache.

You could try substituting half the cheese with a blue variety, or adding chopped shallots, green peppercorns or diced ham at the same time as the cheese.

Fondue Bourguignonne is the classic meat fondue that involves lowering cubes of beef into hot oil.

Sweet fondues made with chocolate or caramel are delicious with marshmallows or fruit.