Cheese Fondue

This recipe is an oldie but a goodie. It got pushed way down my Blogger draft list and never got posted, but even though it's been a while since I made it, it's too good not to share!  This recipe was a favorite among my group of college friends, and my family now often makes it on Christmas Eve.  It's pretty much the perfect recipe for sharing with a group because it's interactive and sure to lead to some laughter as people drip melted cheese everywhere.  For dipping, we've enjoyed apple chunks, steamed broccoli, cubes of white or whole-grain bread, and pears.

Cheese Fondue

1 cup vegetable stock
1 cup dry blush wine
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups grated Gruyere cheese
Cornstarch, to thicken
Freshly grated black pepper
Juice of 1/2 lemon (more as needed)

1. Combine the vegetable stock and wine in a soup pot or Dutch oven, and bring to a simmer. Add the garlic.  Gradually whisk in the cheese, a bit at a time.  Don't add more cheese until the previous addition is completely melted -- this process will take a while but it's worth it!
2. Scoop about 1/3 cup of the cheese mixture into a small bowl, and whisk in 2 T cornstarch until smooth.  Whisk this back into the cheese sauce.  Add more cornstarch (using the same procedure) until the sauce is as thick as you like.
3. Season with pepper and lemon juice.
4. If the sauce seems lumpy, you can smooth it out by carefully mixing it in a blender until smooth.
5. Pour into a heated fondue pot.  Enjoy with chunks of apple, bread, or anything else you like for dipping.