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One of the biggest treats when I was young were the Saturday nights that my mom made fondue. At the time, the crazy 70’s fondue craze was long gone and it was difficult to find it in a restaurant.


She makes an amazing fondue – one that her friends still talk about constantly. I can just see her back in the 70’s sitting around a large table, serving her fondue. Luckily, it is one habit that she took with her.


Thankfully, none of the other habits followed her. Being in college for music in the 70’s meant only one thing. Lots of . . . fondue.


I’m sure it meant other things that I’ve never even heard of, thought of, smoked, or done. Not I, folks.



Check out this big hunk ‘a burnin’ love.

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I love cheese. Cheese is my friend. Cheese is not my thigh’s friend.





I adapted my mom’s recipe just a bit. After rubbing the fondue pot with a garlic clove, I chopped some up, mixed it with salt, and made it into a paste. I wanted the flavor in the fondue, but not the chunks.

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I don’t like chunks. My body on the other hand, appears to really like chunks. Probably because I feed it entire pots of fondue.


I really enjoyed the little bit of garlic paste. It just gave the slightest garlic flavor. I think my mom would like it, too. She didn’t know what garlic was until Rachael Ray started sauteing it in 16 cups of olive oil to begin each dish.




This was fondue for two.

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And by two, I mean myself and me.


My hubby wasn’t interested because of the lack of meat. He can’t be bothered by fancy, schmancy dipping cheese.


But it all works out. I can’t be bothered with cleaning the house. Easy trade-off.




The dippers included lightly toasted italian bread, crisp apples, and juicy pears.

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My favorite were the pears. I loved the juicy, fresh taste against the tart cheese.

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Well, that’s a lie. My favorite was really the bread, probably which I consumed 6 full slices of. But the pears were really, really good, too. Healthy, too.


Frankly, the dish will never be healthy. Let’s deal with it.


Now, I must go continue to stare at the Christmas decorations that are still strung throughout our home. I really don’t have the slightest desire to remove them. Not because I like them, but because I’m insanely lazy. I’m hoping the issue resolves itself.


The Christmas decor, not my laziness.



Cheese Fondue

Serves 2-4

1 cup white wine (I used Riesling)

1 1/4 cups shredded gruyere

1 cup shredded emmentaler cheese (or another form of swiss cheese)

1-2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 garlic clove

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Rub fondue pot with garlic cloves. Chop clove in half and mince. Combine with a sprinkle of salt and mash with your knife to create a paste.

Bring wine to a simmer. Toss shredded cheese with cornstarch. Add cheese to wine in batches, stirring constantly until smooth. Add garlic paste and nutmeg and stir.

Serve with bread, fruit, and vegetables.