Day 27: Cooking Classic Cheese Fondue

Time: One hour (does not include eating time)
Listening to: Fleet Foxes

My husband and I were given a fondue set for our wedding from our friends Justin and Joy--and have loved every fondue experience we've had yet!

The first time I had fondue was in Switzerland. My friend, Calah, and I took a train from southern Switzerland up to northern Switzerland to visit a woman her family knew. She was one of the most hospitable people I've met. She welcomed us into her home and had Swiss chocolate laying on our pillows. The next morning we woke up bright and early and had a traditional cheese fondue with her. We also had champagne---at 9 in the morning!  Ever since that morning, I've been a firm believer in fondue! There is something about everyone dipping into the same pot that just adds to the commeraderie!

We had my parents and brother and sister-in-law over this evening for both a cheese and chocolate fondue.  Here is the recipe we used this evening:

Classic Cheese Fondue

8 oz. Emmenthal cheese
8 oz. Gruyere cheese
1 clove garlic
1 1/2 C dry white wine
3 T. Kirsch (optional)
1 T. lemon juice
3 T. flour
pepper and nutmeg, to taste

Shred and combine cheeses. Mix in the flour.
Rub fondue pot and cooking pot with cut garlic clove.
Pour wine and Kirsch (we didn't use the Kirsch) into a saucepan and heat over medium flame until warm, but not boiling.
Add the lemon juice.
Add cheese (by handfuls) and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until cheese is melted and mixture has the consistency of a creamy sauce.
Add pepper and nutmeg to taste.
Let boil once.
Transfer cheese mixture to fondue pot and keep warm.

On each plate I put a little fondue fork that has different colored Nordic elves!

We dipped a variety of delicious food! My mom brought a homemade loaf of herb bread and flat bread. My sister-in-law brought a variety of different fruits. My personal favorites were the pineapple and the apples! None of us were too crazy about the bananas....

Later on we had a chocolate fondue, as well! Strawberries, oranges, blackberries, and pretzels were a few of our delicious options. The bananas also worked a lot better with the chocolate!

I wish I had taken more pictures once all of the food was on the table--it was quite the spread! And to my amazement, almost everything was eaten up! I guess that is what happens when you eat a meal over a three hour time span! It was a fun and delicious night!