Can you make fondue without a set?

Sure. My mom used to do it in a double boiler. She didn’t have special pans, she just had one small enough to fit in another. I think some people use a metal bowl on top of a pan. Probably, if you google fondue and double boiler you’ll get recipes to pop up.

Edit: my microwave has a melt chocolate setting. You could probably use that for a small amount of fondue. It might not be perfect, but for just you sitting in front of the TV it might suffice. For just my husband and I we cheat with the microwave to melt chocolate.

Hm. I have no idea why I didn’t think of doing it with a double boiler, especially since I do that to melt chocolate. Haha! Thanks @JLeslie! :)

Sure. :).

I’m not sure if the fondue you are asking about is similar to Chinese hot-pot, but I guess the point is just to keep the communal pot hot, so I guess if you have any solutions to make that happen, it’ll work just fine. Maybe just like a pot above heat/ stove, maybe an electromagnet oven, etc.

Absolutely. A fondue set is just a pan, a burner, a stand and some forks. The set is more about the drama of the fondue experience and keeping the food in a melted state. It would work better if you have a burner of some type you can use and don’t use a pan that will require too much heat to keep it warm.

I wonder if a slow cooker (aka “crock pot”) would work. I think it would. You probably have one.

You could probably do it on an electric stove if you take your time. Gas stove would be a little tougher, but doable.

There are 3 unused, complete fondue sets, in 1970’s colors, at your local GoodWill right now. They’re right next to the George Forman grills and Hot Shot coffee makers. They sell for $5.
As @Earthbound_Misfit stated, the set is more about the drama. For 5 bucks the story, and 70’s colors, will add to the experience.
Enjoy!

interesting how the conversation turned to chocolate and dessert fondues.

I always liked dinner fondues – beef dipped in gravy, cheese fondue, etc. Dinner fondues are a lot of work, but unusual and very tasty.

^^I actually was thinking cheese fondue, but mentioned the chocolate, because chocolate is often made in a double boiler and so was my mom’s cheese fondue. However, chocolate fondue is always a possibility.

Agree with all the above.

With regards to chocolate fondue, at least with my fondue maker, it is recommended that you prepare your chocolate elsewhere (microwave or double boiler) and then pour it into the fondue pot on the lowest setting. Otherwise, it is too hot and will scald your chocolate.

Damn you people! Now I have to go out and get a bunch of veggies and a block of Velveeta!
I’m going to be thinking about this all day. Damn you!!!

If I can’t find the set that someone gave us as a wedding present I’ll use a double boiler.
I might have to control myself and wait a bit. A fondue dinner does put a lot of heat into a room. Maybe I’ll wait for cooler weather.

@LuckyGuy: Don’t you have a crock pot?

Velveeta?

@LuckyGuy and @Adirondackwannabe: Is Velveeta even cheese?

It’s a bad biology project gone wrong. I’m guessing it says cheese product on it.

Yep. Velveeta works great. Quick and easy. Velvetta and a little white wine. See recipe below:
Eat your vegetables family fondue

Okay, I’ll take your word for it. Printed it off and I’ll try it.

If it encourages you eat your veggies my work is done. :-)

Velveeta?! That’s not fondue, that’s just melted cheese.

Some people would object to the word “cheese”.
You have to mix other stuff into it to make the goo a fondue.

My husband just handed me a box of Velveeta and shells to make to mix with the leftover ground beef in the fridge.

Funny! I’ll bet he has been thinking about it all day.

Wait! It’s 9 PM! If I ate that now I would have nightmares – even if it is a pasta and beef fondue. I rarely eat anything after 6:30. That is 3 hours before bed.

It was 8:00ish. I made it before I posted my answer.

He only ate a small portion.