Fondue Party - Continued

The fondue party was a great success!



My special (and only) guest came home at 8, devoured some fondue, and retired promptly to bed. I didn’t expect the festivities to last long, he’s been up for 36 hours straight (24 hour take home exam + full day of work) but plenty of melty cheese and a mini-party thrown in his honor was the perfect thing after such an ordeal. We dined in pajamas (those piggy toes are his, not mine)...



And after he disappeared to bed, I had lots of leftover fondue (and wine!) all to myself.

I made Smoky German Fondue with French bread and kielbasa for dipping.

1/2 small onion
1 cup light ale
3 cups shredded smoked gouda
1 cup shredded Emmentaler
1 T cornstarch
3 T milk
1 tsp mustard

Rub inside of fondue pot with onion. (I skipped this step, it seemed wasteful.) Add ale to pot and heat on medium till bubbly, turn heat to low and stir in cheese, heating until melted.

In a small bowl, blend cornstarch with milk and add to cheese. Blend in mustard and continue stirring until mixture is thick and creamy.

I serve with cut up french bread and sauteed kielbasa. I can never get the consistency of this fondue quite right. It's always a bit thick and the cheese doesn't fully melt. This doesn't affect the process though, and it's always a crowd favorite because of the smoky taste (and the fact that it's served with sausage). I actually added a little chicken broth midway through to thin it out a bit. Next time I may double the milk, omit the cornstarch, and use the cheeses in equal amounts.

We determined that the best dipping method is to stab a piece of kielbasa, stab a piece of bread, and then dip the entire bundle. Imagine this, but all together on one fork...



I'm not sure if you can tell, but I have a nonstick electric fondue pot. Perhaps the simplest and easiest fondue setup on earth. It doesn't have that authentic 70's flair, but the convenience is irresistable.

Thanks, Bill, for hosting a great fondue party!