When you hear fondue, do you think of lots of tools and toil? Think again, says Soter Vineyards’ head chef Clayton Allen, who puts his seasonal spin on the decadent dish. “This recipe and style of fondue has all the delicious flavor without any of the fuss of using your mother’s old fondue set from the 80s that almost set the kitchen on fire and hasn’t been used since,” he says. “Everything is roasted and tucked into one complete package.”

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Squash Fondue

Yields: 2 servings as an appetizer

• 1 acorn squash (about 2 lbs), cut in half and seeds removed
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• 1 cup Fontina cheese, shredded
• 1 medium garlic clove, minced
• 1 medium shallot, minced
• ½ cup toasted bread, cubed (½-inch cubes)
• ½ cup whole milk

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Place squash on a sheet pan, cut side up, and sprinkle each half with salt and pepper.

Put ¼ cup of cheese into center cavity of each half. Divide garlic, shallot and bread cubes evenly between the halves, adding them to the cavities. Top garlic, shallots and breadcrumbs in each half with ¼ cup of remaining cheese. Pour ¼ cup of milk into center of both filled halves of squash.

Cover squash with foil and bake for about 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for another 30 minutes until squash is tender and cheese is browned. Check doneness of squash with a fork before removing from the oven. Serve with crusty bread.