You probably thought fondue parties had been left behind in the Seventies along with flares, Arctic rolls, and avocado bathroom suites.
But suddenly, those bubbling pots of cheese are returning to dinner tables up and down the country, according to supermarket giant Tesco.
This time, they have been given a British makeover and the simplified name of baking cheeses.
Since lockdown, volume demand for baking cheeses at Tesco has rocketed by nearly 500 per cent to become the fastest-growing category in the UK cheese market.
The hot cheese trend is so popular that the supermarket now stocks six different varieties compared to the two it had on its shelves only four years ago.
Tesco Cheese Buyer Charlotte Gramlick said: “The fondue was a much loved but short-lived food fad that fell out of fashion basically because it was too fiddly and involved having to buy fondue cooking apparatus.
“Brits are a nation of cheese lovers and any food with molten cheese such as pizza, baked potatoes, cauliflower, macaroni and even plain cheese on toast is generally a winner that is loved by young and old alike.”
The six baking cheeses sold by Tesco include British Triple Cheese Bake, Gruyere Fondue (seasonal line), and Vintage Cheddar and Sauvignon Blanc Bake.
As well as Red Leicestershire Bite with Garlic and Black Pepper, Vintage Cheddar, Mozzarella and Chorizo Bake, and Smoked Red Leicester Bake with Chilli Jam (seasonal line).
Ms Gramlick added: “A few years ago, we launched a special baking cheese for the Christmas party food market and that became one of our most popular items which told us that we were onto something.
“Baking cheeses to share have also become incredibly popular as starters in gastro pubs and so we’re seeing people creating the same sharing experience in the comfort of their own homes.”
Back in 2018, the sales of fondue kits tripled in the two years prior at John Lewis stores, and an Oxford University academic believed it could have been down to Brexit.
Professor Charles Spence, head of Oxford University’s Crossmodal Research Laboratory, argued that the revival may be due to Remainers longing to bond with the rest of Europe.
The traditional Alpine sets usually consist of a small saucepan (called a caquelon) over a heat for melting the cheese, and dipping forks for dunking bread, meats and vegetables.
Professor Spence believed its surge in popularity could have been due to “global insecurity” and nostalgia for simpler times.
Writing in the Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science, the experimental psychologist said: “It may link to current concerns about global insecurity since the fondue can be considered as something of a nostalgic dish for some and a comfort food for many.”
Professor Spence added: “One can’t help feeling that at a time when the UK is figuring out if and how to separate from the rest of Europe, that this nostalgic food originates from a part of Europe that stands outside the European Union but is still connected with the rest of the EU in much the way that many Brits would hope to achieve.”
