Neuchatel Style Cheese Fondue

Total Time: 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 1 clove garlic, split open
• 1 1/2 cups shredded swiss cheese (customarily 3/4 cup emmanthaler mixed with 3/4 cup gruyere)
• 1 teaspoon flour
• 1/2 cup dry wine (for example, neuchatel)
• 3 tablespoons kirsch or 3 tablespoons very dry sherry, per person
• 1 dash pepper
• 1 dash nutmeg
• day-old french bread, cut or torn into 1 â½ inch squares,preferably with a bit of crust on each piece

Recipe

• 1 rub the inside of the fondue pot (or chafing dish or crockpot) with cut garlic clove.
• 2 dredge the shredded cheese in flour.
• 3 put the wine in the fondue pot and set on stove over low heat.
• 4 when the wine is warm enough to begin sending bubbles to the surface, but not hot, begin to add the cheese, a handful at a time, as you whisk without stopping.
• 5 when all the cheese has been added and melted, slowly stir in the kirsch.
• 6 rush the hot pot to the table (lamp under pot should be lit with a fairly high flame).
• 7 at the table add pepper and nutmeg.
• 8 have diners spear pieces of bread, dunk it and swirl it to coat all sides, then lift it from the pot to their plates, twirling to keep it from dripping.
• 9 when cool enough, eat the whole piece at one bite.
• 10 do not let the flame cool, as fondue separates and looks rubbery; if this happens add a little warmed (not cold) wine to revive it (wine can also be added to thin it, if needed).
• 11 the custom supposedly is to serve no other food with the fondue and to drink hot coffee or tea with it; 1 small glass of kirsch should be drunk halfway through and another at the end.