I gave up on Cheese Fondue years ago because it always separated into milky broth with a big hunk of cheese solids at the bottom of the pot. I was told that the separation was caused by using pasteurized cheese, and – in fact – when I went and bought unpasteurized cheese from a farmer’s market, it didn’t separate. But I had access to such cheese infrequently, so I just quit making it.
But I got an excellent fondue pot for Christmas and wanted to try again. I went to Whole Foods and got “cave aged” gruyere and emmethaler…no clue if they’re pasteurized or not. I made Tyler Florence’s recipe off Food Network, http://www.foodnetwork.com/ with some mods:
1/2 pound imported Swiss cheese, shredded ( I used Emmenthaler)
1/2 pound Gruyere cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon cherry brandy, such as kirsch
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
Pinch nutmeg
I used more than 1 TB of kirshvasser, because I had a little too much cheese, and the Kirsh was the handiest liquid. It was a little bit bitter as a result. The other thing I would change would be to use some Jarlsberg in place of one or part of one of the cheeses. The fondue was too soft without it, both in flavor and texture. But I worry that maybe it was the Jarlsberg that was causing it to separate in the past.
The method was as follows:
Simmer the wine and lemon juice in a heavy saucepan. Toss the shredded cheese with the cornstarch, then add to the simmering wine. When the cheese is all melted, add the rest of the ingredients. Transfer to a fondue pot and dip with bread.
We used some freshly baked No-Knead bread (google it…email me if you don’t find the original or Cooks Illustrated recipe). It was lovely and did not separate at all!
Posted by themartyparty 
Posted by themartyparty 
Posted by themartyparty 