Cheddar Cheese Fondue

For our Anniversary a few years ago my husband and I went to The Melting Pot for dinner. For those not familiar with the restaurant it serves strictly fondue. The tables have stoves in them and the food was divine, however the price tag was STEEP, especially on a grad student budget. That said, it was well worth the money. Since then we have loved fondue. Every so often we have fondue for dessert or dinner. This last New Year's Eve we started a tradition we hope to continue of having fondue every year to celebrate. All our kids enjoy the dipping and the food that goes with it.

TIP: If we are doing it with friends and not everything is Gluten-free, I spoon some fondue out into a container that keeps soup warm for my daughter. I have been wanting a Rival Little Dipper to use as well and last night I got on Amazon and bought one for future uses. I am very excited. We will probably have to have fondue again soon. She then has her own GF dippers (brownies, bread, cake, etc.) in addition to the ones that are naturally GF (fruit & veggies).

Recently I found a website that is devoted to fondue and has a ton of recipes for cheese, meat, and dessert fondue. It is Best Fondue.com, and contains everything you would need to know on how make and eat fondue. They have some wonderful recipes. This time I used a recipe from The Fondue Cookbook by Beth Merriman, I'm not even sure the book is still in print, it was given to my Mom for her wedding and she gave it to me, along with her fondue pot that had never been used, for Christmas a few years ago. We really like the Cheddar Cheese Fondue recipe in the book, with a couple of changes (juice for beer and no Ac'cent, also known as MSG).

Cheddar Cheese Fondue (printer friendly version)

1/4 C butter

1/4 C potato flour (or regular if no GF)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp dry mustard

1 1/2 C apple or white grape juice

1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

2 C (1/2 lb) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Melt butter in a saucepan, add flour, salt and mustard. Mix until smooth. Slowly add juice until thoroughly combined then add Worcestershire sauce and combine. Cook until mixture thickens and boils. Add cheese, stirring constantly until cheese is all melted. Pour into a fondue pot and keep warm.

TIP: If using an all metal fondue pot and you aren't ready to eat, place the pot into a warm, but off, stove. If the lid has plastic cover pot with foil until ready to serve.

Dippers
french bread, Rosemary Peasant Bread, Foccacia, apples, carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, or any other veggie or food that you think would be good with cheese and hold up to dipping.