Yvonne's Cheese Fondue Recipe
I call this MY recipe because in Switzerland every other village or area or canton has its own little big secret how to make the perfect fondue: it MUST have this cheese or that cheese, this wine or that wine, a million garlics or no garlic at all, Kirsch, Schnaps, corn starch, flour or not, bread, what bread anyway???? This recipe is kind of generic. It's also very much tested and never failed in 30 or so years.
By the way: "fondu" means "melted" in French. "La Fondue" means "the melted one".
Per person: One third of a cup (1 dl) of dry white wine
5 (150 g) ounces cheese, Emmenthaler and Gruyere
4-6 persons: 1 - 2 Gais French Bread, or any white baguette, but not sourdough
Kirsch (cherry brandy), 1/4 to 1/3 cup
corn starch, about 2 tablespoons
garlic
nutmeg, paprika, pepper
Now let's talk FONDUE!
You need a Fondue pot (caquelon). I think the ceramic pot is the nicest, most traditional. But the heavy, cast iron metal pots work just as well. It must be wide, because everybody is going to stick his/her fork in it, sometimes several at the time. The traditional Cheese Fondue Fork has three long prongs.
Cut a clove of garlic in half and rub the inside of the pot with the cut side. If you like garlic cut several cloves. Add a few more whole cloves of garlic, according to your liking. I always add at least ten. They get "very cooked", therefore: no odor problems!
Of the total amount of cheese you need for a Fondue (which varies with the number of people you want to serve) use about half Emmenthaler and half Gruyere and grate it in the Cuisinart (or whatever contraption you have). Measure the wine and pour it in the pot. On the stove slowly heat the wine (and the garlic) until it starts to steam. Slowly add the grated cheese, stirring in a figure 8! There's the real rub! The figure 8 simply helps not to slop the cheese mixture over the edge of the pot. Be patient and stir, even if the stuff looks like it will stay an unsightly lump: it will melt. When it is all melted mix the Kirsch and the corn starch and stir it into the bubbly mixture. When it is all smooth add a dash of nutmeg, pepper and paprika. Bring it to the table and set on a burner to keep warm while eating.
Some people like to dip an edge of the bread into some Kirsch before dipping it into the cheese!! And it's totally legit to drink tea with the fondue, if you don't want to drink wine!
About the bread: Cut the bread in bite size morsels. I suggest the baguette because every morsel is supposed to have some crust. Why? So the morsel doesn't fall off the fork when you dip it in the cheese!
Others: make sure everybody is at the table and the burner ready to go so you can bring the fondue in amidst great "Ahs!
If the Fondue seems too runny, you can add more Kirsch and Corn starch mixture. If you make a Fondue for more than 4 people use about 3 tablespoons of the Corn starch.
I found the Emmenthaler-Gruyere mix the best and also very easy to find in stores. But you can experiment by using small amounts of other cheeses, Appenzeller for instance. Just don't change the total amount per person, I found this ratio to be just about perfect. Don't use American Swiss or Cheddar, they seem to have a higher melting point than the imported Swiss Cheese and it makes the Fondue too hot to eat. If you find a great new mix - let me know.
Bon appétit!