Fondue au fromage (Cheese Fondue)
Ingredients
- 1 clove of garlic cut in half
- 800 g-1 kilo 1-1/2-2 lbs. of melting cheese (see Notes below), shredded or cut into small dice
- A generous splash of dry white wine traditionally, half as much as the cheese by weight
- 1 shot of kirsch mixed with a teaspoonful or two of potato or corn starch
For dipping:
- A baguette or other crusty bread with firm crumb cut into bite-sized cubes
Optional sides:
- Some new potatoes steamed or boiled in their jackets
- Pickled onions
- Cornichons
- A few drops of lemon juice
Instructions
- Rub the inside of your caquelon with the cut end of a halved garlic clove. (Use both halves if you want a more emphatic garlic flavor.)
- Place the caquelon on the stove. Add the cheese and the wine. Melt the cheese over gentle heat until it forms a smooth mixture. Add the kirsch and starch and continue to cooking for 5 minutes more, stirring from time to time. Throughout the cooking process, be careful of the heat; the mixture should never boil, only bubble very gently.
- When you are ready to serve, light the heating element and place the caquelon on its stand. As you eat, adjusting the flame to make sure the cheese mixture just barely bubbles.