Say Cheese
Fondue
Picture yourself in a magical winter wonderland in Savoie – a stunning mountain region of eastern France. After a day of strolling in the crisp, frosty air, you finally arrive back at your welcoming chalet. A fire crackles in the fireplace, casting a warm glow that reflects in your happy eyes. You're content and weary from the day's adventures, and suddenly you feel famished. Mountain residents created the ultimate comfort dish seemingly for moments like these – cheese fondue. While historians debate its origins, many believe it hails from neighbouring Switzerland. Nevertheless, a fondue is the perfect ending to serene winter evenings. Fondue is not only warming but brings people together. Friends and family gather around the table, using skewers to dip bread into the shared pot of cheese. White wine and heartfelt conversations accompany the meal, creating a warm atmosphere that beats away the cold outside. What should you do with leftover cheese at the bottom of the pot? Here's a great trick: crush a shallot, crack a raw egg, pour in a shot of brandy, season with pepper and cook until it resembles scrambled eggs. Dip crusty bread into the pot to polish off the cheesy delight.
Ingredients
- 400 g Comté vieux
- 400 g Beaufort
- 200 g Emmental de Suisse or de Savoie
- 1 garlic clove
- 250 ml dry white wine
- 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
- 50 ml dry white wine (extra, for finishing)
Method
- 1Grate or cube the Comté vieux, Beaufort and Emmental cheeses.
- 2Crush a garlic clove into a special heat-resistant fondue pot called a caquelon, pour in 250 ml of dry white wine and wait for it to simmer.
- 3Gradually add the pieces of cheese, stirring until melted.
- 4Finish by mixing ground nutmeg with 50 ml of wine and stirring it into the melted cheese.
