When deciding on what to dip into a warm, gooey pot of cheese fondue, vegetables are a winner every time.  Almost any vegetable you can think of tastes great when slathered in a layer of melted cheese. 

Selecting a cheese to complement the vegetables is not difficult.  A good Gruyère, Emmentaler, or cheddar tastes terrific on most vegetables.

Broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and radishes are favorites that appear in many recipes for cheese fondue.  Asparagus and cherry tomatoes also show up often.  You may also come across recipes calling for artichoke hearts, mushrooms, or red and green peppers. 

Cheese fondue’s name alone should tell you the main ingredient… cheese.  But when deciding which variety to melt and dunk your vittles into, you may wish to know what makes a good cheese. 

Some will say that it is not fondue unless it is lovingly created with Gruyère or Swiss; however, there is no accounting for taste, and now everything from mozzarella to nacho cheese simmers in caquelons all over the world. 

Usually, a cheese with a strong or sharp taste is best.  Don’t be afraid of the smell.  This comes with the territory when dealing with sharper cheese.  Those with a flat, less colorless taste will do nothing to enhance the flavor of the food dipped into them.  Appenzeller is a good choice, as well as sharp Cheddar, Chèvre (a category of goat cheese), Swiss, and of course Gruyère.  There are many more, but this should give you a good idea where to start.