Cheese Fondue #1

This is fondue the way the Swiss have been making it for generations. Aged Swiss and Gruyere cheeses melted slowly into warm white wine with a rub of garlic, a squeeze of lemon, and a splash of kirsch that adds a subtle cherry warmth to the pot.

The flour-coated cheese goes in a handful at a time, each addition stirred until smooth before the next goes in. Patience here is everything. Rush it and you get a stringy, clumpy mess. Take your time and you get a silky, flowing fondue that clings to every bread cube.

Gather around the pot with long forks, dunk, swirl, and enjoy the kind of communal eating that turns any evening into an event.

Pro Tips

• Use aged Swiss cheese (at least 6 months old) for the best melt and deepest flavor. Young Swiss doesn’t have the same complexity.
• Keep the heat low the entire time. The wine should barely simmer with tiny bubbles. Boiling makes the cheese seize up and turn rubbery.
• Toss the diced cheese with flour before melting. The flour acts as a stabilizer and keeps the fondue smooth instead of separating.
• Keep the fondue pot over very low heat while serving. If it gets too thick, stir in a splash of warm wine to thin it back out.
• Beyond bread, try dipping blanched broccoli, roasted potatoes, sliced apples, or cured meats.