Strawberry Fondue Sampler

Serving your strawberries with a so-so chocolate dip is never going to lose you any friends, but lets face it, it’s a little staid, a little…1990s. You’d be amazed at how versatile this fruit is when it comes to pairing it with other flavors. Vinegars, and citrus bring out its ample sweetness and unabashedly fiery spices intensify its berry fruitiness. Get sophisticated and swan elegantly into the noughties with an array of unexpected dips featuring combinations of spices, sweeteners, condiments, and flavors that will challenge and titillate the taste buds of your guests. I’m not suggesting you leave out the chocolate altogether, oh no, throw in some warm cinnamon and heady ancho chili, and already you have a far more alluring proposition.

How-To:

Make up as many of the dips below as you want, making sure you offer a good variety of flavors and “tastes”. Be sure to balance out spice with mellow creaminess and a good measure of tartness. Spoon the dips into small bowls or cups, and arrange around a platter of strawberries. You can hull the fruit and offer toothpicks so your guests can spear n’ dip, alternatively leave on the green caps and it’ll give people something to hold on to -just ensure you provide empty bowls for the discarded caps.

Dip Inspirations:

The great thing about these ideas is that you can adapt them to your taste, adding more or less of each ingredient as you like. Feel free to play around with the combinations – and let us know if you hit upon any winners we haven’t mentioned here.

• Crushed black pepper with finely grated lemon zest
• Greek yogurt with wildflower honey and vanilla seeds scraped from a pod
• Soft brown sugar with ground all-spice and lime zest
• Acacia honey with finely chopped rosemary
• Warm maple syrup and ginger juice squeezed from finely grated ginger (go easy, fresh ginger juice packs quite a punch)
• Dark chocolate melted with heavy cream, ground cinnamon and ancho chili powder (to taste)
• Mascarpone combined with lemon juice and zest, sugar and a hit of Limoncello (or other lemon liqueur, or leave out the alcohol)
• Finely chopped mint combined with granulated sugar
• Aged Balsamic vinegar
• Raspberries pureed in the blender then passed through a sieve to remove the seeds, sweetened with agave nectar or sugar, then combined with a splash of Creme de Cassis (blackcurrant liqueur).
• Ricotta combined with shredded basil, orange zest, orange juice and honey