It is a known fact that I love cheese, and if I had to choose between it and chocolate, I'd give up chocolate. Seriously. No contest. Anyway, I've been meaning to post on fondue for a few weeks, but been sick, been busy with school, work and misc... (Excuses, excuses, I know, but this blog business is harder to keep up with than it would seem!) In late January, I came across an article in the New York Times that had me salivating for a pot of bubbling cheese and crusty french bread (what could be better in this dreary weather?). Naturally, I sent the link to a fellow cheese lover who was equally tempted by the article and invited him and his wife over for dinner.
There are like a gabillion ways that you can do fondue. Check the link to the article for a few ideas. The writer consulted with the chef at Artisanal in NYC (highly recommend this place btw) and has like three or four different versions in the article to try. I am sort of a purist when it comes to fondue. My favorite by far is the classic, which uses a combo of Emmenthaler and Gruyere cheeses. Here is the recipe I used (pulled from article). It was a home run. We paired our dinner with a nice bottle of champagne.
Recipe: Classic Fondue
Time: 15 minutes
1 small garlic clove, halved
1 cup dry white wine
3/4 pound Gruyère cheese, grated
3/4 pound Emmenthaler, raclette or Appenzeller cheese, grated
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 to 2 tablespoons kirsch (optional)
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste (optional)
Crusty bread cubes; steamed broccoli or cauliflower; carrot, celery or fennel sticks; cubed apple; seedless grapes; clementine sections; cubed salami, soppressata or kielbasa; roasted chestnuts and/or dried apricots, for serving.
1. Rub cut side of garlic on inside of large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed saucepan, preferably cast iron, rubbing the bottom and halfway up the sides. Add wine and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. (I just used my little electric fondue pot and it worked great.)
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss cheeses with cornstarch. Add a handful at a time to simmering wine, stirring until first handful melts before adding next. Reduce heat to medium and stir constantly until cheese is completely melted. Add kirsch, if using, and heat until bubbling, about 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg, if desired. Serve with crusty bread and other accompaniments.
Yield: 6 main course servings or 10 appetizer servings.
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