Chocolate fondue is always a hit. And it’s easy to make. (Fondue comes from the French word fondre, to melt. Melt the chocolate and other ingredients, and start dipping.)

• First, take a look at these recipes for dark chocolate fondue and white chocolate fondue.
• Spice it up: Let each person customize his or her own fondue with these fondue spices.
• Chose from this assortment of chocolate fondue dippers. Sure, the chocolate itself is great, but the fun comes from what you swirl it onto.

The finer the chocolate, the more delicious the fondue. You can buy the best chocolate baking wafers from Guittard.com, or chop up a gourmet chocolate bar.

And here’s a tradition that can make a Valentine’s Day fondue even tastier: Whoever loses a dipping piece in the fondue not only has to fish it out, of course; but he/she also has to kiss everyone at the table.

Who wants chocolate fondue? (You don’t even
have to ask.) Photo courtesy of Sugardaddys.com.

You know how to eat it, but do you know
how to taste it? Photo courtesy
EatWisconsinCheese.com.

Take another step towards cheese connoisseurship by learning how to taste cheese like the experts. Toward this end we offer:

• Our new article on how to taste cheese.
• Pairing cheese with beer and wine.
• Our Cheese Glossary, to make sense of all the different types of cheese.

Now, you’re ready to have a cheese-tasting party. For extra fun at the party, have everyone take this cheese trivia quiz.

Not even a hardened boss could resist these chocolate frosted yeast donuts topped with heart-shaped sprinkles.

The suggested retail price is 89 cents per donut.

Note to THE NIBBLE office staff: Add these to our Valentine’s Day celebrations.

Sprinkle The Love: Show friends, family and
co-workers how much you love them. Photo
courtesy Dunkin’ Donuts.

Celebrate Great American Pies Month by
trying a new pie recipe. Photo courtesy
Cherry Marketing Institute.

Find inspiration in our Pie & Pastry Glossary—ten pages of different types of pies and pie terms (and pictures of tempting pies).

In fact, you may find a Valentine’s Day pie to bake for your loved ones. This cherry pie with a lattice crust (not hard to make—it just takes some extra time) sure says “I Love You.” Here are an easy classic cherry pie recipe plus a reduced-sugar cherry pie recipe.

• Make your cherry pie with the best cherry pie filling, from Chukar Cherries. (They’re kosher, too.)
• Find more pie recipes in our Gourmet Pies & Pastry Section.

By the way, there are more than 1,000 varieties of cherry tree, but only about ten varieties are produced commercially. Each tree produces about 7,000 cherries or about thirty pies’ worth. The sour cherry or tart cherry makes the best cherry pie. See more fun cherry facts.

In this week’s Top Pick, we feature:

• Gourmet caramels
• Bewitching brownies and cookies
• A fresh fruit “bouquet” (a very healthy gift)
• Savory gifts, including heart-shaped cheese, ravioli and rib steak
• Rose-colored spiritsIf you haven’t yet decided on what to send your sweetie, take a look at these yummy, non-chocolate Valentine’s Day gifts.

  And if you still don’t see the perfect gift, take a look at our Valentine recommendations from prior years.

For your sweetie: The Fire And Spice
Collection from Sugardaddy’s Sumptuous
Sweeties. Photo courtesy Sugardaddy’s.