A medley of melted cheese, wine, garlic and seasonings, fondue is one of those hauntingly delicious meals that you never quite forget, whether for its savory flavor or unique serving style. At Truckle Cheesemongers’ Fondue Friday, you can enjoy such ambrosia.

“It’s a nice little Friday evening thing,” says owner Maggie Bradshaw. It’s the shop’s first autumn hosting the event after previously having larger ticketed fondue gatherings. “I thought what if people come in Friday [and] have a pot of fondue to start the weekend out with [that] they can enjoy on their own or share with somebody.”

Diners can order a caquelon (fondue pot) filled with a special Truckle Cheesemonger cheese blend that’s served with bread, meat, a pickled item and even occasionally fruit for dipping. “Every fondue blend is slightly different but there’s consistency in the main flavor profile,” says Bradshaw.

While Fondue Friday is an excellent way to get one’s fondue fix, the dish can also be made at home. Apart from ensuring you have the proper pot, the few necessary ingredients can be easily sourced throughout the city, like cheese. Truckle Cheesemongers currently offers a fondue cheese blend (sold by weight) which is freshly shredded on Thursdays and available over the following days.

For those who want to experiment with their own blends though, seek out Alpine cheeses. They’re firmer, creamier and melt well. Emmental, Gruyère and Comté are some of the most popular. Fontina, a semi-hard Italian cheese, works too. “It gives a little bit of funkiness,” says Bradshaw.

Wine is the next crucial ingredient. Cheaper selections are ideal as the wine will only be used to adjust texture while adding a pop of acidity. One to consider is Second Bottle’s Pearce Predhomme Pinot Gris 2023. “It’s dry enough for the fondue but there is enough fruit [and] minerality on the palate to make for a complementary pairing with it as well,” says owner Erin Keene.

Once these two essentials are collected, it’s time for the dipping items, like bread. Day-old slices are ideal thanks to their dryness as well as varieties that are strong enough to scoop up heavy cheese, like sourdough and baguettes. Europa Crust, Le Petit Morceau and Virginia Bread Company have several handcrafted options and can often be found at local farmers markets like St. Stephen’s and the RVA Big Market.

While you’re at the market, grab some vegetables. Broccoli, carrots, peppers, Brussels sprouts and radishes are great choices. Other foods to drag through the cheesy mess include meats, like salami and sausage, and pickled items which are a nice contrast to the meal’s richness. Second Bottle offers pickled piquillo peppers which have a nice smoky tang.

Fondue (which comes from the French word “fondre” meaning “to melt”) is a popular dish in parts of Italy, France and Switzerland but is perhaps most connected to the latter. Considered one of Switzerland’s national dishes, the meal’s origins go back centuries to the Swiss Alps when locals would make such a concoction to use up old cheese and bread during the winter. While cheese fondue is most traditional, the dish has since expanded over the decades to include fondue Bourguignonne, where a neutral oil is heated in the pot to fry raw meat chunks, and chocolate.

Fondue is ostensibly a basic meal, but crafting the perfect cheese fondue is a learned art. “Fondue is sort of a tricky beast,” says Bradshaw. “We always recommended keeping heat low. If it’s too hot, the cheese will break and separate into clumps.”

Bradshaw suggests slowly warming up the pot and rubbing a peeled garlic clove around the interior. “Once it gets fragrant from the garlic, add a bit of white wine… let it come to a light simmer and add a handful of cheese,” she says. Blend everything together slowly to ensure it comes together evenly. You might even consider grating some fresh nutmeg over the mixture to add earthy notes. Once all the cheese is added and the contents become creamy and gooey, dive in!

Any leftover fondue can be reheated at a low temperature (this doesn’t mean in the microwave), but it can also be used to make macaroni and cheese or mixed together with vegetables and potatoes.

“It’s a real luxury,” says Bradshaw. “It’s something simple but really pleasurable. It sort of fulfills all our cold weather needs.”

Fondue Friday at Truckle Cheesemongers runs from 4-8 p.m. and cost $15. For more information, visit the website.