I find myself among the many folks that self-identify as a cheese lover. In the lactose-capable crowd there are many levels of cheese fanatacism, some who enjoy the occasional nibble of cheddar or parmesan, some who partake in new and exciting varietals regularly, or many like me who view cheese as a way of life. I’ve tried as much of the stuff as I can get my hands on. The blue kind, the stinky ones, and those made from milks of less common mammals. I love it all, and I’ve even made cheese myself! If you have ever found yourself googling “how to become a cheese monger” this might just be the recipe for you.
For fear of becoming too cliché food-bloggery and taking you on a long rabbit trail to make you scroll for miles for the recipe, I’ll keep it brief. I tried fondue in Andermatt, Switzerland and I loved it so much I’ve made it at home at least half a dozen times since. While my fondue doesn’t exactly replicate the Swiss experience (due to American ingredient limitations and my general lack of Swiss heritage) it does deliver a cozy evening to enjoying a hot pot of cheese with your loved ones. I won’t claim this is an authentic recipe by any stretch, I am not an expert and certainly do not want to disrespect Switzerland’s national dish!
I’m a proud owner of a fondue pot, but you don’t have to be to make this recipe. This is the one I have, scored second hand quite a few years ago. Enamel or stainless steel would be your best bet. If you’re not interested in aquiring a fondue pot, a sauce pan with a trivet would suffice (though you may need to return it to the stove a few times) or you could use a portable induction burner.
What to serve with fondue?
I like to pair fondue with a few varieties of bread, like a baguette and an italian loaf, cubed and lightly toasted. I also usually make roasted potatoes – mini yellow potatoes cut in half and tossed with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder and then baked until crispy. I give a similar treatment to sliced mushrooms and they are divine! Other pairings that work nicely are apples and the veggies you’d typically find on a cruidte platter, like broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, and peppers.
Cheese Fondue for Six
DifficultyMedium
Servings6
Prep time30 minutes
Cook time20 minutes
Total time50 minutes
It’s a fondue party! Melt together gruyère, garlic, and white wine, then gather your cheese-loving friends and family and get to dippin’!
Ingredients
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 14 ounces gruyère cheese, grated
- 14 ounces emmental, raclette, or fontina cheese, grated
- 1¼ cups white wine
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- pepper to taste
- bread, roasted potatoes, mushrooms, apples, or other things you'd like to dip!
Instructions
- 1
Grate the cheeses, set up your fondue pot and prepare any accompaniments you may want to dip in the cheese.
- 2
With your pot on the stove on medium heat, add in the garlic and the cheeses.
- 3
Add in the wine and stir as cheese begins to melt. Bring to a boil. The cheese will take quite a while to melt and may appear lumpy or seem to separate. This will resolve as it reaches the right temperature.
- 4
Create a slurry with the corn starch and lemon juice, stir and bring back to a boil.
- 5
When cheese is fully melted and has reached an even consistency, stir in nutmeg and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Keywords:fondue, cheese fondue, fondue night
And there you have it! Now go get lost in all that cheese!
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