Cheese Fondue

Ingredients

• 320g Emmental or Jarlsberg or Gouda, or similar
• 480g Gruyère or Raclette, or similar
• 150g Brie or Camembert, or similar
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and very finely chopped (see step 5)
• 300ml high-acid white wine (Sauvignon blanc, Pinot blanc, Riesling)
• 2 tsp kirsch (optional)
• Nutmeg, to grate to taste, or a pinch of cayenne pepper
• Baguette, or stale bread, cubed, to serve
• Boiled potatoes, to serve (optional)
• Cornichons and pickled onions, to serve (optional)
• Charcuterie, to serve (optional)
• Green salad, to serve (optional)

Directions

1. Trim off and discard the rinds from the hard cheeses (they’re not poisonous, but they won’t add anything to the flavour of your fondue), then coarsely grate the hard cheeses or cube the soft cheeses.
2. Put the minced garlic in a deep, heavy-based saucepan.
3. Add the wine to the pot.
4. Set the pan over a very low heat and bring the wine to a simmer. Gradually add the Emmental or melting cheese a little at a time, whisking or stirring vigorously and leaving it to melt fully before adding more. Repeat with the Gruyère, followed by the Brie. Keep stirring until the mix is very smooth.
5. Stir in the kirsch, if using (some recipes prefer herbal liqueurs such as génépi), followed by a good grating of nutmeg, or a pinch of cayenne pepper, if you prefer. Transfer the cheese mix to a fondue set, a heatproof bowl set over tea lights or a slow cooker – anything that will keep the fondue warm and liquid for the time it takes you to eat it.
6. At their simplest, cheese fondues are served simply with cubes of baguette or slightly stale bread for dipping (a fork works well if you don’t have a fondue set), but I’d recommend also supplying small boiled potatoes (skin-on) and a selection of cornichons and pickled onions, some charcuterie and a green salad alongside. Plus the remaining wine, naturally.