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Cheese Fondue, French Style
(Fondue de Fromage)
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| What You Need: |
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2 cups dry white wine
2 garlic cloves, cut up
¾ pound imported Swiss cheese freshly grated (about 3 cups) mixed with 1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons butter
2 to 6 tablespoons heavy cream
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons kirsch
1 loaf French or Italian bread cut in 1-inch cubes
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| How To Cook: |
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1. In a 1½-to 2-quart saucepan, boil the wine and garlic briskly until the wine has reduced to 1½ cups. Strain the reduced wine through a fine sieve into a fondue pot or the cooking pan of a chafing dish that has a lower pan to fill with water; discard the garlic. At the table or in the kitchen, light the burner under the fondue pot or the chafing dish pan.
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2. Over direct heat, return the wine to a boil, then lower the heat at once and add the cheese-cornstarch mixture, stirring constantly with a table fork. Do not let this mixture boil; if it seems to be getting too hot, lift the pan off the heat for a few seconds to cool it.
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3. When all the cheese has melted and the fondue is smooth, stir in the butter and 2 tablespoons of cream. The fondue should be just thick enough to coat the fork heavily.
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4. If it seems too thick, add a little more cream, 1 tablespoon at a time. Season it with a little salt and pepper, stir in the kirsch, and serve at once, accompanied by a platter of bread cubes. If you are using a chafing dish, set the pan over hot water to keep the fondue warm.
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5. To eat the fondue, spear a bread cube with a fork, dip the bread into the hot cheese and twirl the bread to coat it evenly with fondue. If the fondue should thicken while you are eating it, heat a little cream and stir it in to thin it.
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6. ALTERNATIVE: The traditional Swiss fondue is similar, but simpler, and does not include any butter or cream. To make it, bring the wine and garlic to a boil in the fondue pot or chafing dish and let them cook for a minute or so, but do not boil down the wine.
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7. Remove the garlic and add the cheese a handful at a time. When all the cheese is added and the mixture is smooth and creamy, season the fondue with salt and pepper, and stir in the kirsch.
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