Everyone Used It In The '70s — Now It's The Vintage Kitchen Item We Want In Our Homes

The 1970s was a lively period, with a focus on getting together with family and friends for a fun time as often as possible. Often, these casual gatherings centered around food, and the dishware of the time was designed to optimize hosting. Fondue is a late mid-century dining trend that seems to be making a comeback — it's a different style of entertaining that's decidedly hands-on. Even some of the most ordinary homes in the '70s had a fondue set in a kitchen cabinet, whether it was a Le Creuset or another brand, and it was brought out anytime friends came over. Fast forward to today, and it seems like this vintage kitchen item is becoming the star of the party once again.

Rather than going out to dinner to celebrate a special occasion or blow off the week's steam, it seems that gathering at someone's house to chow down and chew the fat is fast becoming a preference. An evening in involves close chums, lively conversation, and, perhaps most importantly, good food. That's where fondue comes in.

The conversation arguably flows more freely when everyone's gathered around a simmering cauldron of gooey cheese sauce or melted chocolate that you dip all sorts of tasty morsels into. Perhaps it's because your hands are busy, so you can't pick up your phone. Fondue is innately sharable, yes, but its attractiveness also likely lies in its indulgence. While cheese is a staple food product in the U.S., it is still relatively expensive. As you can see, a Le Creuset fondue set is fast becoming a retro kitchen item that should still have a place in every home. If you've decided to host a fondue party at your house, you need to get your hands on one.

Fondue as we know it today has its origins in the Swiss and French Alps in the 1800s, where people needed to survive the winter on limited long-life foods like cheese and stale bread. It wasn't until the 1930s that fondue became a national Swiss dish like raclette. French company Le Creuset produced its first enameled cast iron cookware, a casserole dish, way back in 1925. It wasn't until 1957, when the company purchased the French foundry Les Hauts Fourneaux de Cousances, that they started producing fondue sets. The company currently sells the Mode Cast Iron Fondue Set in the U.S. for around $400. It comes with a 2-quart pot, removable splash guard, stainless steel burner, matte black rechaud, and six fondue forks.

However, it's the vintage versions of this decades-old kitchen cookware that are making a stylish comeback in homes today. For one, they're decidedly cheaper. You can score a vintage Le Creuset fondue set in good condition for around $100 on online marketplaces like eBay or Etsy. You might even be able to find one still in its original packaging or with a pretty pastel floral design on the outside of the pot. Or, you could always keep your eye out for a set when thrifting. If you're lucky, you could score one for $10 or less. Look for the brand's name and the country of origin (France) on the base to authenticate your find. However you get your set, this is about as far from an old-school kitchen item nobody uses anymore as you can get. Expect to be the envy of your neighbors when you invite them over for a fondue party.