Classic Fondue

Fondue is believed to have originated during the sixteenth century when Swiss families needed to come up with a way to make cheese and bread from the summer last through the winter.  Obviously, we’ve come a long way since then.  Fondue is easy to make and is a great way to gather people around the table.

This recipe calls for Gruyère, which we have used several times.  However, we recently tried it with cave-aged Gruyère, and I don’t know that we’ll ever be able to go back.  The cave-aged variety has a more intense flavor with a bit more saltiness.  Either way, you can’t go wrong with Gruyère.  You can use anything you want for dipping; there are no limitations!  My favorites are grapes, apples, carrots, broccoli and  pretzel bread.

This recipe makes 4-6 servings, but can easily be halved (as it was when I took this picture).

Classic Fondue
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds Gruyère cheese
1 garlic clove
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons kirsch (You can use white wine for this if you want.)
freshly grated nutmeg

Directions:
-Finely dice the cheese and set aside.
-Peel the garlic and cut in half.  Rub the garlic around the inside of a medium saucepan (or your fondue pot, if it’s stovetop safe like ours) and discard.
-Add the wine to the saucepan and place over medium-low heat.  Do not allow to boil.
-Once the wine is warm, stir in the lemon juice.  Add the cheese, a handful at a time, stirring continually in a figure eight pattern.  Allow each handful of cheese to melt before adding more.
-When the cheese is melted, dissolve the cornstarch in the kirsch.  Stir into cheese and turn up the heat until cheese is just bubbling and starting to thicken.
-Transfer to fondue pot, set over burner and grate nutmeg over the top.
-Serve with your favorite fruits, veggies and bread for dipping.

Source: Adapted from The Everything Fondue Cookbook by Rhonda Lauret Parkinson