Dip Into the New Year

This is actually from our honeymoon, but ours on NYE looked exactly the same.

Who doesn't like ooey, gooey, melty, rich cheese? I think cheese is a universally accepted food for even the pickiest of eaters. Obviously, Adam and I love cheese. We spent our honeymoon in a country known around the world for their cheese. And we ate every kind we get our hands on. So, what better way to ring in 2011 than with a pot full of melted cheese?

Originally, we were going to Fripp with Thomas and Lindsey to celebrate New Year's Eve, but because of work obligations, we stayed home. To our delight, Thomas and Lindsey did too. So, it was the four of us and Justin and Amy at my parents' house (they were out of town) for a dinner of fondue, games and New Year's Rockin' Eve. Even the puppies were invited!

Adam and I loved our fondue dinners in Switzerland. It's a very communal meal and one that has an extra element of excitement with each dip. Who knows...you might the first person to lose your potato in the pot. You find out your real friends when everyone stops to help you find your missing potato.

On this NYE, I recreated our first night in Lucerne, Switzerland, minus the snow and jet lag. I made fondue with the same accoutrements and a Nutella pie to round out the night. Who needs a big NYE party when you can eat cheese and bread and drink bubbly with good friends at midnight? Not this girl, that's for sure.

Fondue
Serves 6

1 clove of garlic, halved
1 lb. grated Swiss Emmentaler
1 lb. grated Swiss Gruyere
2 tbs. cornstarch
1 cup dry white wine
3 tbs. Kirsch

Heat a deep, medium-sized pot to medium heat. Rub the bottom and sides of the pot with garlic, then discard. Dump the cheese into the pot. Stir the cornstarch and wine together in a small bowl until the cornstarch dissolves. Add the mixture to cheese. Stir until the cheese starts to melt. Do not let this mixture boil. Once melted, whisk any lumps out and turn heat to simmer. Pour fondue into a fondue pot. Use either a candle or sterno as the heat source. Serve with blanched broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and potatoes; crusty cubed bread; pickled gherkins and cocktail onions; boiled shrimp or grilled steak.