I found a way to make a fun, yet healthy dinner tonight.  It is a total throwback, but never lost it’s charm, cheese fondue.  If you don’t have the proper equipment, you can still make ooey, gooey melted cheese in a soup pot, use some regular forks instead of the fondue forks and keep the cheese on a low burner.

This works really well for families with kids who are 8 years old and older.  If your kids are younger, the hot cheese, burners and sharp fondue forks could be seriously dangerous, so consider making it for a special date night instead!

Ingredients

3/4 pound of Emmentaler cheese, grated

3 tablespoons flour

Garlic clove, halved

1 cup white wine, preferably a dry, delicate wine like Chablis

Juice from half a lemon

1 tbsp Kirsch (this is cherry liqueur, very strong in alcohol so not great as a shot – I also use this in my cherry suprise cookies)

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Freshly ground salt and pepper to taste

For dipping:  Big loaf of Italian bread cut into cubes and toasted in the broiler until brown, or French bread, whole grain Italian bread, sourdough bread or focaccia..use your imagination!  We also dipped broccoli that was lightly steamed, chunks of chicken that was cooked in olive oil seasoned with paprika, salt and pepper and chunks of granny smith apples.  All worked out well.  We tried chunks of tomatoes, and they didn’t work well, I would skip those next time.

I assume grilled mushrooms, chunks of cooked ham, steamed cauliflower and boiled small potatoes would also work really well!

In a bowl dredge the grated cheese in flour.  Rub the inside of a fondue pot (or regular soup pot if you don’t have the fondue setup) with halved garlic clove and add the wine.  Heat the wine on your stovetop until warm but not boiling (unless kids are eating, then I actually do boil it for 2 or 3 minutes to get out the alcohol).  Add the lemon juice.

Begin to add the cheese by handfuls, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until cheese melts to a creamy sauce consistency.  Add Kirsch and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.  Let mixture come to a boil, then take to the table and set over the fondue burner.  Serve with all of your dipping items, and if you played your cards right you included each of the food groups to make for a complete (but fun) meal for all.