There’s a reason cheese fondue never really goes out of style: It’s delicious. The accouterments can be anything that benefits from a dip in some cheese: olive and walnut breads, apples and pears, salami, steamed broccoli and cauliflower, or sautéed mushrooms. Be sure to include a few palate-cleansing pickles, like cornichons, to help cut the richness.
What to buy: When purchasing the cheese, buy 1-pound pieces to account for the unused rinds’ weight.
Special equipment: You will need a fondue pot for this recipe. They can be purchased at most cooking stores and online. If you don’t have a fondue pot, you can serve this in a slower cooker set on low. Note: The slow cooker will get hotter than a fondue pot, so you will need to stir the cheese mixture often.
This dish was featured as part of our Valentine’s Day All-Star Recipes.
- Yield: 8 servings as an appetizer
- Difficulty: Easy
- Total: 45 mins
Ingredients (10)
- 12 ounces shredded Emmentaler or Jarlsberg cheese (about 5 cups)
- 12 ounces shredded Gruyère or Comté cheese (about 5 cups)
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch or all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground mustard
- 1 medium garlic clove, halved
- 1 1/2 cups dry white wine
- 1 tablespoon Kirsch (optional)
- 1 (8-ounce) dry salami, peeled and cut into medium dice, for dipping
- 1 baguette, large dice, for dipping
- 1 pound new potatoes, boiled, cooled, and quartered, for dipping
Instructions
- Toss the cheeses, cornstarch or flour, and ground mustard in a large bowl with your fingers until thoroughly combined; set aside.
- Rub the cut sides of the garlic halves all over the inside of a medium saucepan. Add the wine and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the cheese mixture to the saucepan a handful at a time, stirring between additions, until all the cheese has been added and is melted, and a smooth mixture has formed. Add the Kirsch, if using, and stir to combine. Transfer the mixture to a fondue pot and serve immediately with dipping accouterments.
