Cheese Fondue
It’s winter in USA. And, Valentine day is approaching us quickly. I love making fondue for a small gathering, thanks to COVID this year its just two of us trying to make the best out of the situation. Fondue is also a great date night option for just two people enjoying over a slow conversational pace and setting.
I love creating Fondue as it is simple but very perfect meal on cold snowy winter night. I feel as though it is overestimated dish that people no longer enjoy as much they used to be.
Fondue can be very filling even though it sounds very simple.
Fondue is the national dish of Swiss. It is a melted cheese dish found in Swiss, France and Italy. It is hot liquid either cheese or chocolate served in a communal pot over portable stove and long-stemmed forks are dipped with bread or fruits and enjoyed over in winters or cold weather. It is super simple way of eating something oeey gooey and serves as a quick appetizer for large parties. I have invested in two fondue pots. You can see I love it so much. Every time I set it up for friends or family, they have always enjoyed it a lot.
Fun Facts about Fondue –
A tradition says that if a man loses his bread in the pot, he buys drinks all around, and if a woman does, she must kiss her neighbors. So, do whatever don’t drop the bread in the cheese or do exactly opposite to kiss your partner. So, romantic.
Most writers recommend that each morsel be put in the pot only once (no double-dipping) and that the dipping fork be used only to transport the food from the pot to one’s plate, not to eat. But, if you are enjoying it with your partner by yourself, then it’s okay to bend the rules.
The choice of beverage to drink with fondue is specified in several conflicting traditions; some demand that white wine should be drunk, while others specify black tea as the beverage of choice. Some people drink a shot of spirits during or after the meal. However, a study published in 2010 showed that none of these beverages caused indigestion after eating fondue. Hot liquids help to digest all that cheese.
What are the main components of a Fondue?
Wine- Wine is very important component for not just flavor but also it helps cheese proteins to not break while heated and get all clumpy. It maintains that viscosity or meltiness without breaking the cheese.
Cheese- Ofcourse in a cheese fondue, another big ingredient is cheese. I have made fondue many times, the classic combination of cheese still works the best. So, changing it up for trials was not going to help me. Emmental, Gruyere and Vacherin are the cheeses often used. Any swiss cheeses would work. I would highly suggest you talk to local cheese monger to understand what works best.
I prefer to combination of Emmental and gruyere cheeses. Emmental or some of the swiss cheeses are very bland in taste if you try them by itself. Gruyere has a funky more developed flavor. So, Gruyere cheese has acquired flavor and taste and I would suggest use that less in quantity to other cheeses.
After selecting the best cheese, the most crucial step is to make sure they are melted on slow temperature and speed. Often when I make it, I prefer to melt the cheeses on double boiler. It helps tremendously because
1. I do not have to stand next to it to make sure its melting
2. I can prepare other things while cheese is melting on slow temperature.
Although, don’t leave it unattended for longer time. I have rushed the melting of cheeses, trust me it only ended up being not so great. So, take your time to melt the cheeses.
I love to serve it over some charcuterie board with bread sticks, veggies and fruits. I also made a small side salad when we enjoyed it. I served grapes and apples in fruits. Toasted bread pieces and some chips. Veggies – I served cucumbers, carrots, grilled asparagus, peppers,
Cheese Fondue for Two
Ingredients
- 1 Clove of Garlic
- 1/2 Cup Dry white wine or 1/2 cup Cream
- ¾-1 cups shredded Gruyere Cheese
- 1 cup Shredded Emmental or Swiss cheese
- 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch diluted in 2 Tbsp water
- salt to taste
- Black pepper
- 1 tsp Lemon Juice
- 1 tsp kirsh optional
- Pinch of nutmeg optional
Dippers-
- Veggies, bread pieces or fruits
Instructions
- Take the clove of garlic and rub it in the pot nicely and remove the pieces of garlic. I grated some garlic, as I wanted to have more flavor. Grate it very finely, though. Add the white wine or cream and heat it up a steaming and gradually add the shredded cheese to it, add more only once it is completed melted and add the seasonings. Whisk it vigorously in one direction and add the lemon juice as well. The heat should be very slow to avoid breaking the cheese.
- Once the cheese has melted, mix cornstarch into water and then add the mixture to cheese and mix it well. Once it looks thickened, simply remove it from the stove and place it over the fondue pot over a flame to keep it warm and melted. Add some grated nutmeg, taste so good over cheese.
- Serve it with bread cubes, I prefer baguette as it can hold well while we dip it into the cheese. Also serve some fruits and vegetables like bell peppers, potatoes, onions, broccoli, asparagus, grapes, apples etc. of your choice.
- If you want to add chili or curry flavor to your fondue you can also do that. There could be lot of variations. This recipe is the basic recipe of cheese fondue.
Notes
XO, Devangi