Cheese Fondue

From the book The Basic Gourmet by Diane Morgan, Dan Taggart, Kathleen Taggart, and Georgia Vareldzis

Introduction

It is nice when a fad becomes a classic, or in this case, when a classic becomes a fad and then returns to its rightful place in the culinary world. Anyone who has been to Switzerland knows that fondue has always been an integral part of its cuisine. The Swiss know, and now you can, what a wonderful meal this is on a cold winter’s night, or what a pleasing part of a buffet selection.

Ingredients

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Spread out bread cubes in a baking sheet and bake until bread feels crisp on the outside but slightly soft within, 20 to 25 minutes.
2. Warm wine in a saucepan over low heat. Toss shredded cheese with flour in a large mixing bowl. When steam begins to rise from wine, slowly add cheese, a handful at a time, while stirring with a wooden spoon. Allow each handful to melt a bit before stirring in more.
3. When all the cheese has been added to the pan and heated through, test for consistency. The fondue should coat a piece of bread nicely, but not be too thick. Add a little more wine, if necessary, to thin.
4. Warm your fondue pot by filling it with hot tap water and letting it sit for a couple of minutes. Drain the water and dry the pot. Pour in the hot cheese mixture. Place bread cubes in a large deep bowl. Provide guests with small plates and long-handled fondue forks for dipping the bread cubes in the cheese.

Notes

• If your fondue pot has not been warmed before adding the melted cheese, the cheese will firm up and you will need to remelt it.
• If your fondue pot is made of metal, melt the fondue directly in it and save the extra cleanup.
• A whisk can be very handy for the final mixing of cheese into wine.
• Don’t hesitate to try other blends of cheeses. Hard cheeses are best and Cheddar always tastes great. You can also use a firm whole wheat bread instead of French bread for the cubes.
• Don’t fret if you don’t have an official fondue pot. No worry, just use a heavyweight saucepan, 2- to 2 1/2-quart capacity.

This content is from the book The Basic Gourmet by Diane Morgan, Dan Taggart, Kathleen Taggart, and Georgia Vareldzis.