You may have already heard of common fondues in which various foods are cut into small portions before being skewered and cooked in boiling oil. Another popular option is chocolate fondue in which you melt chocolate, place it in a pot with a gentle heat source underneath, and dip the treats in the chocolate before eating. If you like these ideas, then there’s another fun and delicious type of fondue you might like: cheese fondue.

 

Prepare your pot

The first step in preparing your cheese fondue is to make your sauce. Rub the pot (pot) with a clove of garlic. This will allow the garlic flavour to reach the cheese sauce. Prepare a bain-marie (a pot underneath with water and the pot placed on top so that it is not in direct contact with the heat source). This will ensure that the sauce is prepared at the correct temperature and will help prevent it from burning.

 

Add some white wine

Add the white wine to the hot pot and let it heat. The wine is important because it prevents the cheese from forming lumps. The alcohol content of the wine is significantly reduced (if not completely eliminated) during cooking. Use about 1 cup of wine for every pound of cheese.

 

Add the cheese

It wouldn’t be a cheese fondue without the cheese. Grate your cheese (the food processor can really speed up the process) and mix it with the cornstarch. Cornstarch acts as a thickener and also prevents lumps from forming in the sauce. It also helps the cheese mix properly with the wine.

 

Take your time

Take only a handful of cheese at a time and drizzle with hot (not boiling) wine. Mix slowly and constantly. Once combined, add another handful of cheese and continue until all the cheese is added. The quality of your cheese fondue depends largely on how well your sauce turns out.

 

A splash of lemon

Add a splash of lemon juice to the mixture to maintain the right consistency and prevent the sauce from being too rich. Fatty foods tend to make you feel full and bloated quickly. That’s why lemon juice and wine are also such important ingredients.

 

Season it up

Season with salt and pepper. Some people prefer to use white pepper, but if you don’t mind black spots, you can also use black pepper.

 

Serve it up

Serve your cheese fondue with bread, toast, cooked meats, boiled potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower and anything else you feel like dipping into some delicious hot cheese! Remember to keep the cheese sauce warm. If it’s too hot it will crack and if it’s too cold it will become stiff. If it thickens too much you can add a splash of white wine and whisk to loosen the sauce again.

With these simple, yet effective steps, you too can create the most delicious cheese fondue dining experience. It is suitable for smaller groups as well as a table lined with guests. Just make sure that everyone has a pot of sauce within their reach.