Never a winter goes by that I don’t make fondue. I’m a stickler for the Swiss wine-laced version with equal parts Gruyere and Emmentaler cheeses, a splash of cherry brandy (Kirschwasser), a grate of nutmeg and scads of crusty bread to soak up the gooey mixture.

Yet only in the past several years has the fondue craze taken some revolutionary twists that present party hosts with enough modern-day recipes to shed those hackneyed veggie trays from their repertoires. From Cambozola cheese sauce for dipping asparagus, to hot anchovy sauce for shrimp and Cabernet-chocolate sauce for biscotti, fondues of the 21st century are bubbling over with newfangled possibilities.

Among the more popular is a melty mixture of brie cheese and caramelized onions (see recipe below). Gourmands are well familiar with this marriage of flavors, yet when adapted for the fondue pot, the relationship intensifies with the addition of balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, garlic and butter. For dippers, nearly anything works – boiled potatoes, smoked sausage, apple wedges or toasted bread cubes.

An Israeli recipe (also listed below) brings together avocados, Edam cheese and sour cream, a perfect amalgamation for dredging through strips of red and green bell peppers. As with most cheese-based fondues, the liquid foundation is white wine. The oakier and drier the varietal, the better the results.

Below are a few recipes that give good reason to either resurrect that dusty fondue pot from the closet, or dash out to purchase a new one.

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter

2 small red onions, peeled, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon sugar

1 to 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme

1 pound brie cheese, chilled, rind cut off, cheese cubed (about 2 cups)

2 tablespoons cornstarch

3/4 cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 garlic clove, minced

Melt butter in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until golden. Sprinkle with sugar and cook until caramelized. Add vinegar and thyme and cook until all liquid evaporates, about one minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cool onion mixture.

Toss brie with cornstarch in large bowl. Bring wine, lemon juice and garlic to simmer in heavy large saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium. Add one handful of cheese to wine and whisk until almost melted. Repeat with remaining cheese in about five more batches. Continue whisking until completely melted and fondue begins to bubble, about one minute. Transfer to fondue pot and keep warm over fondue burner. Top fondue with caramelized onions and serve. Accompany with assorted meat, vegetable or fruit dippers. Serves four.

2 avocados, halved and pitted

3 teaspoons lemon juice

1 garlic clove, halved

3/4 cup dry white wine

3 cups grated Edam cheese

2 teaspoons flour

5 tablespoons thick sour cream

Cubes of sesame-coated French bread

Cubes of red and green bell pepper

Scoop out flesh from avocados into a bowl and mash until smooth with lemon juice. Rub the inside of the fondue pot with cut clove of garlic, then pour in wine and heat until bubbling. Over a gentle heat, stir in cheese and cook until melted, stirring frequently. In a small bowl, blend flour smoothly with or sour cream, then add to cheese mixture with mashed avocados. Continue to cook for four to five minutes until thick and smooth, stirring frequently. Serve with cubes of bread and red and green peppers. Serves four to six.

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

4 ounces feta cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 lemon, juice only

1 tablespoon parsley, minced (optional)

1 cup ricotta cheese

Melt butter in a heavy skillet or saucepan over low-heat. Add the feta, ricotta cheese and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly and mashing the cheeses slightly, until they soften and begin to bubble (about five minutes). Stir in lemon juice and garnish with parsley. Serve immediately with garlic bread cubes, sliced vegetables or fruit. Serves four.