Fondue it

Entertaining with fondue is fun, easy and a welcome relief from the three-course holiday meal (who needs turkey when you can make cheese the star attraction??).  It’s also a great way to hold a farewell bash for the cheese bits and pieces that have overstayed their welcome in your fridge. The classic fondue consists of Gruyere, with a little Appenzeller or Emmenthal (both Swiss cheeses) and a crisp dry wine, but don’t be afraid to experiment with different combinations of cheeses and different grape varietals. But before you go wandering too far from this reliable combination, there are a few basic rules to cook by:

•    Stick to dry wine. Nothing kills a fondue like sickly sweetness, so steer clear of sugar-heavy or dessert wines. Rosé wines go nicely but keep in mind you’ll end up with pink fondue (which may or may not turn you on). You can even try substituting dry Champagne, apple cider or beer for the wine in your fondue recipe.

•    Meltability is key. Keep in mind that you want a good melting cheese.  Stay away from sheep and goat’s milk cheeses unless you’re very practiced at fondue making. Alpine style cheeses, cheddars and really any pressed cow’s milk cheese, all make great fondues. Softer cheeses like Brie are scrumptious (remember to remove the rind), but I would avoid triple-crèmes as the fondue can end up too heavy.

•    Taste everything first. Try the cheeses and wines you want to blend before you throw them in the fondue pot. If they clash from the start, they’re not going to get any better when melted together. Some interesting combinations are Brie and blue cheese (try blending with a dry Champagne), all-cheddar (try different lagers or ales), and all-blue cheese blends (try Stilton with a dry Sauternes).

When it comes to dipping, my favorite is plain country bread. I also love beef tips (order them with a fondue at Artisanal Fromagerie & Bistro one day and you'll see what I mean), and green apples.  Boiled fingerling potatoes are also tasty and are easy to make.

This entry was developed with Danyelle Freeman, aka Restaurant Girl.

Comments

[Lone Mountain Las Vegas]

I love fondue! Got to thank Switzerland for coming up with this idea. Hot chocolate plus anything equals yummy goodness.

[oakley frogskins]

Try the cheeses and wines you want to blend before you throw them in the fondue pot.

[Marvin The Mouse]

I like everything about Swiss cheese, but what I like the best - are the holes.

I often dream about the people who make the holes in Swiss cheese. I call these people, "The Hoke Maker's".

When I grow up, I want to be a "Hole Maker."

Marvin the Mouse

[Josh]

good work...

[Josh]

good work...

[Ben Evert]

Nice article. I like the idea of either wine or beer with fondue and included it as a pairing to a beer recipe.

[Simone]

Fondue is nice... but raclette (http://www.raclette.com.au/raclette_info/what_is_raclette.html) is better!!!