Beer and Cheese Fondue

I apologize for my lack of an entry yesterday. While my goal is to write a new post every day during the week, yesterday I had trouble getting Blogger to load properly. Whether it was the actual website, my computer or my extremely slow internet connection, I do not know. However, I do know that I will post at least twice today to make up for lost time. So, without further ado, I give you my recipe for Beer and Cheese Fondue:

This is one of Cory's and my favorite things to eat, especially during the fall. It doesn't take very much prep work, and it is a very quick recipe. The only downside that I can see is that good quality cheeses are not particularly cheap. I don't use a recipe when I make it, and I don't really measure anything either. It was kind of a trial-and-error process that began with a recipe from Rachael Ray (found here), and has now evolved into my own recipe.

Ingredients:

-1lb bag of shredded sharp cheddar cheese, or a 1lb brick

-large wedge of Danish Fontina

-2 large cloves of garlic

-bottle of regular beer, like Budweiser. Light beer can be used for a lower-calorie version

-1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

-stuff for dipping: fresh bread, apples, veggies, etc. Be creative!

Directions:

In a large pan or fondue pot, add 3/4 of a bottle of beer. Grate the 2 cloves of garlic into the pan. You can also use a garlic press if you  have one. Heat the beer and garlic on low-ish until it starts to get a little foamy. This smells heavenly. I know that sounds weird, but the smell of the beer and garlic cooking together is amazing. Meanwhile, cut the Fontina into small chunks, about the size of your pinky fingernail. The smaller the chunks, the smoother your finished product will be. If the chunks are too big, the Fontina won't melt all the way. Mix the flour, cheddar and Fontina together in a big bowl. Add the cheese mixture to the beer mixture one handful at a time. Stir slowly until the cheese has completely melted, then add the next handful. If the consistence is too runny for your liking, add mroe cheese or a pinch more flour. If it is too thick, try adding a little bit more beer. Once all the cheese is dissolved, you're ready to eat. If you have a fondue pot, adjust it to the "warm" setting to help the fondue keep its consistency. If not, just transfer the pan to a trivet, and it should stay warm for a little while. Arrange all your dipping stuff onto a pretty platter, and serve. Enjoy!

{Fresh bread and raw veggies served on my Missoni for Target platter}