IngredientsI didn't have any white pepper*, and I used a bottle of cherry wheat beer instead of white wine. Also, I tossed a splash of kirsch in with the lemon juice, before the beer. When these guys say large bowl, by the way, they mean LARGE bowl. I grated the cheese in the food processor, and it had to be done in 2 batches.
3/4 pound Gruyère cheese, grated
1/2 pound Swiss Emmentaler cheese, grated
3/4 pound Appenzeller cheese, grated
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 garlic clove, halved
1 to 1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Freshly ground white pepper
Crusty bread, cubed and skewered
1. In a large bowl, toss the cheeses with the cornstarch. Rub the inside of a 3-quart fondue pot with the garlic; discard.edit: discard the garlic, not the pot. yeesh.
2. In the fondue pot, heat 1 cup wine with the lemon juice over medium-low heat until steaming but not yet simmering. Stir in the cheese mixture, 1 handful at a time, and cook until melted. If the fondue is too thick, gradually stir in up to 1/2 cup more wine. Season to taste with white pepper. Serve with the bread cubes.
I used baguette for the crusty bread, and I also provided raw veggies and apple chunks for varied dipping. My housemate kindly chunked up the apples and the veggies into skewerable sizes. There was easily enough to feed 6 hungry people, because 4 hungry people had quite a bit left over.
That is one delicious fondue.
We also played a board game. It sounds very mild mannered, but somehow the last guest (at some point we acquired a 5th) left after 3 in the morning. That's one crazy fondue party, right there.
Bonus tip: don't try and do shots of kirsch, that stuff is harsh.
*I've just remembered that I do have white pepper in the house, and I didn't even look for it, just assuming I didn't. Oh, well.
