Swiss Cheese Fondue

Would you like to try a cheese fondue? To the right is a recipe for either an appetizer or a main dish.

Rub the inside of a saucepan with the cut side of a garlic clove, then discard the garlic. Pour the wine and lemon juice into the pan, and warm it over medium heat. Bubbles will rise and cover the surface. Do not allow the wine to boil.

In a bowl combine cornstarch or flour with the shredded cheese, and stir.

While stirring the wine mixture constantly, add a handful of cheese. After the cheese melts, add another handful of cheese, and stir until it melts. Continue in this manner until all the cheese is melted. If desired, season with white pepper and nutmeg or paprika and ground clove.

Transfer it to the fondue pot, and set it over a low to medium heat source. Each person has his own long-​handled fondue fork, dinner plate, and dinner fork. Simply spear one of the dippers and swirl it around in a circular or figure-​eight fashion in the fondue. Place the dipper on your dinner plate, and eat it with your dinner fork.

If the fondue is too thin, add more cheese. If it becomes too thick, stir in some heated wine. If the mixture separates, heat it at a high temperature, beat it with a whisk, and then lower the heat. The mixture should not separate if you stir it with the dipper every time you dip.

If you prefer a nonalcoholic base for your fondue, prepare a basic cheese-​sauce recipe. Mix four tablespoons each of butter and flour. Cook the mixture over low heat. Add two cups [4.8 dl] of cold milk, bring slowly to boil, and cook the mixture for two minutes. Gradually add one and one half cups [3.6 dl] of sharp cheese (shredded) and stir until it is melted. Season with salt and pepper. Dip as described above.

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Recipe for Swiss Cheese Fondue

1 clove garlic, cut in half

1 1/2 cups [3.6 dl] dry, white wine

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons cornstarch or flour

16 ounces [435 g] Swiss cheese, shredded (or combination Swiss and Gruyère)

2 to 3 tablespoons kirsch (optional)

White pepper and nutmeg or paprika and clove, if desired

Dippers:

2 loaves crusty French bread (or Italian bread or hard rolls) cut into 1-inch [3 cm]cubes, each with a side of crust

Cooked chicken, ham, shrimp

Raw or cooked vegetables