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The recipe

Detailed version

Ingredients (per person):

Note: the choice of cheeses is crucial. See elsewhere on this site about this.

- 200 to 220 g (7 to 8 oz) of cheese (a little less for small appetites) rind cut off.
- 0.8 dl (2.7 fl oz) dry white wine (1 dl = 1/10th of a liter and there are 7.5 dl in a normal wine bottle)
- 1 clove garlic (small if you're not a fan of garlic, large otherwise)
- kirsch (about 1/2 dl for 4 to 5 persons)
- Maizena (cornstarch)
- Pepper, salt possibly
- 150 to 180g (5 to 6 oz) bread per person

Note: 0.8 dl (2.7 fl oz) of wine per person is the right amount, but as we will dilute the cornstarch in a bit of wine, make sure the total of the wine matches in the end 0.8 dl (2.7 fl oz) per person.

2 pieces of the right amounts of cheeses for 5
Cheese for 5 before.
the same cheese grated ready for cooking
Cheese for 5 after.

Prepare a small glass (1 dl - 3 fl oz) and larger one.

Cut or grate coarsely all the cheese.

Put in your pot 0.8 dl (small glass) of wine per person, add garlic (sliced not too thin) 1 clove per person (less if you do not know what is good). The traditional recipes recommend rubbing the pot with a garlic clove, but this is totally insufficient and a waste of time.

all the ingredients for a fondue for 2
Ingredients.
the garlic and the wine in the pot
Started.

Add one more dl (3 fl oz) of wine white in both glasses, and keep the small one for you: as the cook you have the right to a drink. Put in the larger glass two heap teaspoons of cornstarch (for 4-5 people), stir and set aside for later.

Pot full of grated cheese
The cheese just got in

Heat the pot over low heat, and after a few minutes, when the wine starts to simmer, gradually add all the cheese. From that moment on, do not stop stirring slowly with a wooden spoon. Once the cheese starts to melt, continue to stir slowly in a large 8 shape.

Adjust the heat so that the cheese melts completely. Never let the mixture boil, keep it at the point where it just simmers at the center of the pot. This is the time to taste (a small piece of bread dipped) and possibly adding a little salt (only if your cheese is very mild).

Pouring kirsch from the bottle
Kirsch being added
fondue almost ready with pepper just added
Finally some pepper.

Now is the time for the most delicate operation. Make sure that the mixture is just boiling (a few small bubbles) and stirring in an 8 shape, add slowly and little by little, the cornstarch (which you have again stirred in the wine). Allow time for the fondue to come back to a simmer. This operation will ensure that the cheese and wine turn into a smooth and homogeneous mixture. Too much cornstarch and you'll get a mortar fit to plug the holes in the wall at the back of the backyard, too little and you will get cheese floating in wine. In this case, it is still easy to add a little cornstarch (always diluted in liquid - ie.: wine).

Finally, just before serving, a small shot of kirsch (in the fondue, of course) and you can serve after stirring it in. It is the tradition to add a little pepper and sometimes to grate a little nutmeg.

While eating, make sure that the lamp is frequently adjusted so that the fondue always simmers but never boils.

Bon appetit and cheers.

3 fondues being prepared on a stove top
Three fondues.

  • 2 pieces of the right amounts of cheeses for 5
    Cheese for 5 after before2 pieces of the right amounts of cheeses for 5Cheese for 5 after before
  • the same cheese grated ready for cooking
    Cheese for 5 afterthe same cheese grated ready for cookingCheese for 5 after
  • all the ingredients for a fondue for 2
    Ingredientsall the ingredients for a fondue for 2Ingredients
  • the garlic and the wine in the pot
    Startedthe garlic and the wine in the potStarted
  • Pot full of grated cheese
    The cheese just got inPot full of grated cheeseThe cheese just got in
  • fondue almost ready with pepper just added
    Finally some pepperfondue almost ready with pepper just addedFinally some pepper
  • Pouring kirsch from the bottle
    Kirsch being addedPouring kirsch from the bottleKirsch being added
  • 3 fondues being prepared on a stove top
    Three fondues3 fondues being prepared on a stove topThree fondues