A Cheese Fondue Recipe – Mmmmm Bubbling Cheese!
Sometimes getting everything in on a short trip can be hard. It was difficult to pass up the cheese fondue. It is what food dreams are made of! There is nothing like eating out of a big bowl of bubbling cheese, YUM! If you find yourself in Switzerland, do not miss it! Since Switzerland is such a huge producer of cheese and, although others disagree, the producer of the undisputed king of cheeses Gruyere, you can bet it is fantastic. A classic fondue is 50% Gruyere and 50% Vacherin. To make it a bit more special, use Kaltbach Cave Aged Gruyere and Vacherin Fribourgoise, both Swiss and both top notch cheeses. Vacherin Fribourgoise is a slightly firmer Vacherin and makes a very good fondue. An ementaller would be a great edition, also.
A Cheese Fondue Recipe
- ½ Pound Gruyere, shredded
- ½ pound Vacherin Fribourgoise
- 1 clove garlic, split
- 1 cup white wine – like a reisling (the sweetness and acidity do the fondue good)
- 1 heaping tsp cornstarch
- ¼ of a lemon (stops the cheese from getting stringy)
- 1 shot of kirsch (optional, but delicious. Don’t worry the alcohol burns off)
- Black pepper
- Rub the bottom of a heavy enamel pot with the clove of garlic.
- Add the wine to the pot.
- Wisk in cornstarch, bring mixture to boil.
- Add a small handful of cheese while stirring. When the cheese has melted, add the next handful until all the cheese is in the pan and melted. The cheese should be gently bubbling as more cheese is added.
- Squeeze the lemon wedge and mix well.
- Add kirsch and mix well.
- Add black pepper to taste
- Transfer pot to a hot plate so cheese stays hot and bubbling softly.
- Present long forks to eaters and let dipping commence!
- Serve with bread, vegetables, fruit and dried meat or anything else that would be good dipped in cheese!
That is the cheese part, but what to stick on the end of those long forks? The classics are crusty bread and small boiled potatoes. Tons of different things can be dipped – tomato, broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, green apple, pear, mushrooms, cornichon, pickled onions, etc. Of course, don’t forget dried fruits, dried meats and dried sausages. If you want to make it even more fun, hold the kirsch and serve each eater a shot instead. Have them dip the bread into the kirsch first, then in to the cheese. WOW and hiccup!
Great Things to Dip In a Fondue
Crusty Bread – Classic Fondue Dipper
Of course, if the classic isn’t enough there are many ways to pimp it up. There are plenty of ways to add to a cheese fondue recipe!
Here are a few suggestions….
Make the classic adding fresh pear and swapping the kirsch for Poir William
Make the classic adding green peppercorns and a dash of spicy mustard
Make the classic adding slices of mushroom
Make the classic adding crisped bacon
Make the classic adding bits of dried, spicy sausage
After all the dipping is done, it is still not finished. The penultimate of fonduing is to achieve a fondue bottom – a thin crust of golden brown cheese on the bottom of the pot. That is a real treat!
Behold the Fondue Bottom – A Cheesy Treat!
Getting the Fondue Bottom – Delicious and Helps with Clean Up
Your Not Done Until You Get to the Bottom!
Mmmm…Fondue Bottom! The Penultimate Fondue Experience
It is so worth every bite! Try the classic at home and you are sure to create a WOW moment – not just delicious, but fun to eat.
Keep Eating! Keep Innovating!
How do you do fondue? Let us know in the comments or on Facebook.
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