One of the good things about living in New England, with our seemingly endless winters, is having an excuse to indulge in comfort foods. Foods like cheese fondue. Dipping pieces of baguette into flavorful melted cheese blended with white wine and a drop of Kirsch, is going to make you happy that it is winter.

You may need to put a little extra time on the treadmill to pay for this meal, but it is worth it.

This recipe is adapted from an old recipe from the Wine and Cheese Cask in Cambridge, MA. While  specific cheeses are listed in the ingredients, you can change the cheese up a bit. For example, if I don’t find Appenzeller, I use Raclette or Comté. I’ve had fondue with friends in France and Switzerland and they used cheeses from their region and their fondues have been delicious. Regardless of the varieties that you choose, be sure to use the amount of cheese listed in the recipe.

This recipe will serve two people as a main course.

Ingredients

• 1 clove garlic, cut in half lengthwise
• 1 1/2 cups dry white wine (we often use an Alsatian white, such as Willm Pinot Blanc)
• 1 pound of cheese finely shredded, made up of the following cheeses and amounts:
  • 1/2 pound Emmental (also called Emmenthal or Emmentaler)
  • 1/4 pound Gruyere
  • 1/4 pound Appenzeller (also called Appenzell)
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon Kirsh
• Kosher salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• Paprika to taste (a couple of pinches)
• 1 large baguette, cut into small squares (a day old baguette is better than fresh)

Special Equipment

You’ll need the following equipment.

• Fondue pot with a heat source (most fondue pots come with a platform to keep the pot over heat and a container for holding a candle or Sterno or they have an electric element)
• Fondue forks

I bought my Dansk fondue pot many years ago at a Dansk outlet. You can find the Dansk vintage pots on sites like eBay or Etsy. Here’s a similar Dansk red fondue pot and one in yellow. You might enjoy this Saveur article about Dansk Kobenstyle pots.

There are many fondue pots on the market. Here is a cast iron fondue pot and here’s an electric one. I haven’t used these.

Instructions

Rub the sides and bottom of a heavy saucepan with the garlic and discard the clove. Add the wine and warm it over low heat. Do not bring it to a boil. When air bubbles begin to rise to the surface, add the cheese by handfuls, stirring constantly with a fork, ensuring that each handful of cheese is dissolved before adding the next one. The cheese and wine won’t be blended yet. Add a dash of salt and pepper.

In a small bowl, mix the Kirsch, water and cornstarch together to make a smooth paste. Using a wire whisk (or a fork), stir the paste into the wine and cheese. Raise the heat to medium and stir the mixture for about 2 or 3 minutes, until the fondue is creamy.

Add the paprika.

Fill the fondue pot with hot water to warm the pot, dump the water and dry the pot. Pour the fondue into the pot and set it over the warmer.

Let the deliciousness begin! Spear a piece of baguette on your fondue fork and dip it into the cheese.

If the fondue gets too thick, stir in a little warm wine. Do not add cold wine!

Cheese Fondue Dinner Menu

Here are some suggestions of foods and cocktails to round out your cheese fondue dinner.

Cocktails and Appetizers

If you want to start the meal with a little something special, make these Marabou Slipper Cocktails. Negroni Cocktails are another good option.

Provide simple nibbles, such as green grapes, olives and pistachio nuts or Marcona almonds.

Accompanying the Cheese Fondue

I like to serve cornichons (little sour pickles) and pickled onions. The vinegar cuts the richness of the fondue.

While you don’t need other food, you can serve charcuterie, such as prosciutto, bresaola, salami or rosemary ham.

Chilled white wine or cold beer go well with fondue.

Follow the fondue with a bright salad, such as this Arugula, Orange and Fennel Salad.

Dessert

A simple bowl of fresh berries works well for dessert. You can drizzle them with a little Grand Marnier.

If you think that you will have room, you can continue the fondue festivities by serving fresh fruit with a chocolate fondue. (I’ll provide a recipe in a future post.)