A chocolate fountain shows elegance and taste...

Whether a kid's party or a fancy wedding, a chocolate fountain is always a hit

If you have been to a party in the last few years you have certainly noticed that some of the old party concepts have come back to the forefront with a new and exciting twist. Many years ago the craze for clever and fun food service was the idea of fondue. Fondue is a type of food that is focused around melted ingredients for you to dip other ingredients in.

Fondue is great because it allows everyone to customize their meal or desert. The old way involved using a pot, appropriately called a fondue pot the new way is by using a gorgeous and exciting fountain.

Never seen a chocolate fountain? They are out there and they are the newest novelty for elegant and even quirky parties. There are a few things to know before deciding on having a fountain at your next get together. We will cover some of the most commonly asked questions for you to read over and ponder.

What can you do with it

The first area we want to cover is what you can do with a chocolate fountain. Many people decide to have a fountain and stick with the simple ideas for things to dip. We say forget tradition and go wild and interesting. After all your guests need to be given a wow when they are at your party, not the same old thing, and basically everything tastes great smother with chocolate. Fresh fruit is always a hit. Chocolate covered strawberries, pineapple, grapes and a host of different melons will go as a great accompaniment to your chocolate fountain. Have you ever had a chocolate covered marshmallow or rice crispy treat? I have even seen kids party that had a chocolate fountain for the kids with animal crackers and popcorn, that they got from the popcorn machines they rented, along with two chocolate fountains for the adults to dip small napoleons and chocolate éclairs. Normally an éclair has a coating on top but believe me when I tell you that warm melted chocolate tastes tons better. The more creative you get and the more themed the food selection is the more of a reaction you will get from your guests.

The presentation is a key part of having a chocolate fountain. The flowing chocolate makes for a great eye catching centerpiece to a table set up and the way you arrange the food to be dipped is up to you. Be creative and interesting so that the food is brought up the same originality level as the fountain itself. It is all about appearance which is why you got the fountain in the first place.

Rental tips

When looking to rent a chocolate fountain you should ask the rental company a host of questions so that you are fully informed about what they offer and what your money is going to get you. Find out what type of chocolate the company will provide you to use in the fountain. Some companies will go with only the highest quality chocolate which will tickle your taste buds but also you wallet, yet other companies only use cheap chocolate which cost less but could taste terrible.. Learn the costs of the types of chocolate a company has and do not be afraid to ask for a sample.

What are your needs

How much chocolate should you get for the fountain? The chocolate fountain rental companies tend to have standard packages like ten pounds for a small fountain and twenty for a larger one. We have found that if you have less than on hundred people at your party that twelve pounds should suit you fine since it is a course not a meal. You must find out who is going to set the fountain up for you. The majority of the rental companies will do all of the set up and tear down for you. You will just have to provide the location and the time and they will take it from there. You may also be lucky enough to deal with someone that will also provide an expert to stay and monitor the fountain throughout the event. This is handy in case of a malfunction or break down. This associate will keep the chocolate flowing all day long.

As for the food that you want to dip into the chocolate fountain this is a whole new animal in and of itself. The typical dining hall will not allow you or any other vendors to bring outside food into their facility. This is part of how they make their money so they are often quite strict about the policy. Even if you are allowed to use whatever types of food you want the chocolate fountain rental people will rarely cater the affair too. They will often be able to give you phenomenal suggestions for what to serve and what not to serve. One example of this would be no to serve cake to dip. I personally never had an issue with pound cake but have been told that the crumbs from cake can clump up the chocolate and make a mess. I suppose that can happen so see what they think.

Review the rental places before renting