Full Immersion Cheese Fondue
Also works for pouring and sprinkling. Because the Baptism of the Lord is almost always observed on a Sunday, we like to invite our kids’ godparents to join us for dinner. They are spread out all over the country (and there are a lot of them!) but it’s worth a try. And, whether or not godparents can join you, what better way to celebrate St. John the Baptist dunking Jesus in a river, than by dunking bread in melted cheese? Right? RIGHT? Baptism of the Lord fondue party! Aldi is a great place to find affordable European cheeses.
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
- For the cheese
- About 1 pound of a mixture of smooth-melting white cheeses grated. I used:
- 6 ounces gruyere
- 5 ounces fontina
- 7 ounces gouda
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 ½ cups Sauvignon Blanc or other dry white wine, or substitute chicken stock
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ cup+ chicken stock or additional wine
- Things to dunk
- French Italian, or sourdough bread cut into 1 inch cubes
- Boiled new potatoes
- Lightly steamed or microwaved broccoli florets
- Sauteed whole mushrooms
- Cherry tomatoes
- Sliced green apples
- Sliced polish sausage
- Cooked beef or chicken pieces
Combine the grated cheeses and mix them with the cornstarch. In a large, heavy saucepan, bring the wine, garlic, and lemon juice to a simmer over medium heat. Add the grated cheese to the liquid, a handful at a time, mixing with a whisk until melted before adding the next handful. This makes a nice, smooth mixture. Once all the cheese is mixed and melted, add the mustard and nutmeg. Add the chicken stock a bit at a time as needed to create a scoopable, non-stringy mixture.
Transfer the fondue into a fondue pot or slow-cooker to keep warm if desired, or let folks dip straight from the pot.