Happy National Cheese Fondue Day

It's all fun with cheese fondue tonight at the illegible ink home! We've got 2 kinds of bread for dipping (my favorite was the cubed rosemary boule), marinated chicken and steak, red and orange bell peppers and a little Basmati rice.

The word fondue is from the French verb fondre ('to melt'). Fondue is a Swiss and French dish of melted cheese served in a communal dish called a caquelon. Long dipping forks are used to skewer items into the white wine-infused cheese.

You can easily purchase cheese fondue packages in most grocery stores but if you want to make it yourself, here is a recipe I would suggest:

Ingredients:

• 14 oz grated Gruyere cheese
• 9 oz grated Emmental cheese
• 10 fl. oz white wine
• 3-4 tbsp cornstarch
• Half of a peeled garlic glove
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
• .5 fl. oz schnapps (kirsch, 40% Vol.)
• 33 fl. oz boiled water

Instructions:

• Add boiled water to the fondue pan and let to continue to simmer. 
• Add grated cheeses, garlic and 7 oz of wine to the fondue insert pot (usually glass). 
• Dissolve the cornstarch in remaining 3 oz of wine, and then add mixture to cheese. 
• Stir mixture and then add pepper and schnapps. 
• Skewer, dip and enjoy!