Otherwise, buy a pack of ready-grated prepared cheese mix and follow the instructions carefully. Do NOT rush the melting and always add some cornflour or preferably potato starch disolved in white wine towards the end to thicken. This will help prevent the mixture from curdling, but it's never guaranteed.
With bread, dried meats and pickles this is a full meal. Don't forget the wine, fendant is usually drunk with cheese dishes, but ask for other recommendations from your wine merchant.
Five servings:
1 cup dry white wine
1⁄2 pound shredded Emmental
1⁄2 pound shredded Gruyeres
2 tablespoons flour
Garlic (lots of it, cut thin)
Kirsch (the more the better)
1 (1 pound) loaf sourdough French bread
Simmer wine in fondue pot. Add Emmental cheese, Gruyere cheese, 1/4 pound at a time. Stir after each addition of cheese until melted. Stir in flour. Add kirsch. Serve with cut-up French bread.
If you somehow mess it up but serve enough wine and kirsch, your guests will never know.
Don't rush the mix and use starch. Potato starch is the traditional one used, but corn flour is perfectly acceptable.
Check verbally at time of purchase, or as per pack instructions, whether cornflour (maizena) is included - sometimes is, sometimes not.
Rub a clove of garlic around the coquelon, then add white wine, and stir in cornflour (if not in the cheese mix), then add the cheese, heating slowly on a low setting, but stirring continuously. Add kirsch and ground black pepper, if required. As the cheese melts, watch for separation, and slowly turn up the heat - when its bubbling, bring to the table rechard.
The best fondue is Fondue Fribourgoise - motie-motie ...... half Gruyere, half Vacherin - but you may struggle to find that fresh ...... maybe in a pack, but fresh is preferable.
If you have to compromise and buy from a supermarket, don't buy the boxed ones, but those in a plastic bag containing grated cheese.
Hot tea should be drunk with it, although a schluck wie (white) is OK ...... but don't let your guests glug down bottles of Bud.
Anyhow, why don't you go to a local Dairy Store and buy a pre-made pack of fondue. In that way you will probably get something of nice quality. I eat a lot of fondue, everything from grating the cheeses myself to buying packs. There is a difference between the box/bagged stuff from the supermarket and from the dairy stores. You also don't want something really heavy that's gonna sit in your stomach for the next day either, especially when your playing tourist with your guests so getting it from a dairy store is best.
Here's a few things to watch out for...some of the pre-made packs, those bought at supermarket and those bought from dairy stores have everything included (wine, kirsch, cornstarch, etc) and some is just the cheese. Alot of the times there is only cornstarch with the cheese in packs...you have to read the label and add what's not there.
No matter what, start with cutting up garlic, you can leave it in full pieces or chop it fine. Rub the pot with garlic before adding anything. Heat the fondue first on the stove top, medium heat. Add white wine (if not contained in pack), one shot per person and kirsch (optional). Add cheese. I find the best packs are half gruyere and half vacherin. Heat and melt slowly while stirring. Meanwhile start your alcohol burner so it's ready on the table. You can add pepper and nutmeg now if you like. Some people prefer to shake it on their plate and tap the bread and cheese into it. Once the cheese is melted consistently you'll know if you need to add corn starch (if it's not contained in the pack). If it is too liquid add some cornstarch (make sure you mix a small amount of cornstarch completely in a half shot of wine so it's dissolved before adding it). Mix well and bring to the table. Try not to let it boil...
Have your bread ready beforehand...i cut mine in cubes.
Hope this helps. I love fondue, and it doesn't have to be heavy. Oh general rule of thumb is 200 g per person, but between the two of us...we eat 500 g Hope you enjoy it...it's really easy and quick.
It wouldn't surprise me at all to find Emmentaler omitted from most Fondue recipes in the West.
Yeah, bite-sized 'cubish' pieces work best, preferably each with one side composed of crust, through which the fork can be poked, minimizing bread lost in the Fondue. I buy or bake the bread (typically baguettes or a dense Ruchbrot) the day before and try to cut it at least a few hours in advance, so it has time to stiffen up a bit.
Some folks use these:
Cheers,
Nick
Good luck with your fondue
I cannot help here, as I have never made cheese fondue at home. I have done raclette though. How long are your guests staying? You could do a raclette as well.
A Swiss friend of mine told me that it is important to let the cheese to come to room temperature before you need to use it. Apparently, a very important part of the process. And be gentle with the heating in the begining.
Far too much wine, about 0.5dl per serving is enough and 2 TABLESPOONS of flour ???
Add pepper to falvour
Add several tbsp Maizena to the cheese, NOT the wine. Our normal is equal parts Aged Gruyere, Appenzel Extra and Fribourg Vacherin.
Use garlic to taste (we use a whole head for such an amount), rubbing the pot with it so the cheese won't stick.
Nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne (or other) and Kirsch to taste, all added at the end.
I've been making it for about 35 years (started when I was in college in the US, mainly used Emmenthal back then due to lack of availability of good cheeses)
Tom
When eating, stir your bread in an anti clockwise manner. Any other way is bad manners.
If you lose your bread in the pot, chug a glass of alcohol and run once around the table kissing everyone.
Don't forget the crispy bit at the bottom of the pot.
You can use any cheese that melts well, and tastes nice, mature cheddar for instance if you're in UK.