Cheese fondue is the perfect dish for the holidays – it’s an easy, interactive, crowd-pleaser of a comfort food. This holiday season, we’re elevating this one-pot meal even more by surrounding it with a beautiful selection of seasonal accoutrements and dipping favorites.
Although there are many variations, the word fondue (derived from the French verb fondre, meaning “to melt”) primarily refers to a dish consisting of melted cheeses combined with wine. Chef Christina Machamer’s rendition is a dip no one can resist featuring sharp cheddar cheese and Frank Family’s Carneros Chardonnay.
As for the wine pairing, we recommend reaching for acidity over fullness, like our newly released, Sparkling Rouge. The crispness cuts through the sharp cheese, while the wine’s fruity notes pair with apples, oranges, and other winter fruits on the board.
We hope you enjoy gathering with loved ones over the fondue pot and fighting for ever last morsel this holiday season!
Ingredients
| .5C | Chicken stock |
| .5C | Frank Family Carneros Chardonnay |
| 1 each | Bay leaf |
| 2 cloves | Chopped garlic |
| 8 oz | Sharp cheddar |
| 1T | Corn starch |
| 1T | Cold water |
| Pinch | Salt |
| Dash | Cayenne |
| To Taste | Assorted crackers, breads, sliced winter fruits, thinly sliced meats & cheeses |
Method
- In a fondue pot, bring chicken stock and wine to a boil, then reduce heat. Add garlic and bay leaf, then slowly whisk in cheddar. Bring fondue back to a simmer.
- In a separate bowl, whisk cornstarch and water to make a slurry (a slurry is made with a stock mixed with either cornstarch or flour and added to a liquid to thicken it). Drizzle into fondue, whisking until desired thickness is reached.
- Season with salt and pepper, then remove bay leaf. Keep over low heat until ready to serve.
- Place the fondue on a large board or serving platter. Arrange the breads, fruits, vegetables, meats, and nuts around the fondue pot and enjoy.
