Swiss Cheddar Fondue

January 31, 2011 By Julie 21 Comments

Fondue is one of my all time favorite foods. I love the stuff in all varieties and forms. I still remember my first foray into the world of food swirling and dunking. I spent a semester studying in Europe when I was in college. I had traveled to Switzerland and decided that partaking in a cheesy bowl of fondue was a must try while there. The entire experience was so amazing I almost ordered a second pot. From that moment on, I was hooked. I quickly purchased a pot for myself, and then a second and then a third and yep, even a fourth. I discovered The Melting Pot here in the states (certainly not as authentic as swirling the good stuff on the other side of the pond, but still worth it’s weight in gold) and became entranced with the idea of creating a multi-course meal on my own. While my husband was in business school, I joined the Partners club there, for the partners of students, and together with a friend, we succeeded in hosting a 3 course fondue party for 23 people.

Scott and I are still pretty avid fondue eaters today, we just eat it a bit differently now that we’ve added kids at the table with us. In fact, fondue’s versatility is one of the aspects that I love most. Adults can enjoy it as a romantic night out and kids can enjoy it as a fun and different way to eat dinner. It can incorporate all four of the food groups and can contain several healthy options such as veggies, fruits, and meats. Best of all, it’s fairly easy to put together and cooks up quickly.

As a first course to this week’s fondue menu, we’re going to jump in head first with a little swiss cheddar fondue. I’ll be honest, my favorite fondue is the good ol’ classic swiss fondue. Love the stuff. But, in the spirit of the blog I ventured out and tried something a little different. I’m glad I did. This fondue had an excellent flavor and by adding cheddar to the mix, I made it much more appealing to my kids, which for this mommy, is a big part of what matters most. Ready to swirl some cheese?

Ingredients Needed:

3 Cloves of Garlic, Minced
11/2 Cups of White Wine
1 tsp of Lemon Juice
8 Oz. of Shredded White Cheddar
8 Oz. of Shredded Emmentaler Swiss
3 Tbsp of Corn Starch
1 Tbsp of Brandy or Kirsch
1/2 tsp of Nutmeg
Salt to Taste

Start out by rubbing the minced garlic around the inside of your pot (or the pot your cooking it in if you’re planning to transfer the cheese after cooking on the stove). If you love garlic like I do, then you can just leave it there and let it meld with the cheese. If not, then simply remove the bits. It’s all good.

Next up, you’ll add in the wine and the lemon juice and allow it to warm up to a simmer.

In a bowl, mix together the two cheeses along with the corn starch.

When the wine is heated up, add in your cheese, one handful at a time. Let each handful melt completely; stirring to combine well before adding the next.

Once all of your cheese is melted and smooth, add in the nutmeg and brandy. Add additional salt if needed.

Transfer to a fondue pot if you haven’t already and prepare to dip, swirl, and dunk your way to culinary bliss.

Here are a few shots of our cheese fondue night, including the spread of what was served to dunk.

Nicholas enjoying a grape dipped in cheese.

And it’s at this point that I tell you to grab your fondue pot and make your own bowl of swirl worthy deliciousness.

Be sure to stop by on Wednesday when we move on to the second course of our three course fondue feast!