3-Cheese Gin Fondue
Name a more intimate, indulgent meal! Fondue is and has always been one of my absolutel favourite celebratory meals, and the best part is always the cheese fondue!
This 3-Cheese fondue is a bit of a twist on the traditional, using Gin instead of Kirsch. It has a unique earthy flavour to it and it’s much more common to have a bottle of gin on hand! The key to this recipe is using a combination of Fontina cheese for the melty gooeyness, Gruyere for the classic fondue taste, and aged gouda for a gorgeous nuttiness. Using a high quality, dry white wine is also recommended! It’s easy to want to cook with wine you don’t like (so that you can drink the stuff you do like), but high quality wine = high quality food! Plus, if you enjoy the wine enough to drink it, you have yourself the absolute BEST possible pairing.
I recommend using Chablis, like the fantastic Domaine Passy le Clous Chablis (by Mary Taylor Wine) that I used. Chablis is an unoaked, mineral-driven style of Chardonnay from northern Burgundy, France. Chablis is known for it’s exceptional quality and this one has just that! Flavours of crisp lemon and green apple with a subtle florality and chalkiness that keeps you wanting more. The flavour complexity is absolutely stunning! Drink at 8-10 degrees C (46-50 degrees F). Get it here:
US Link: Domaine Passy le Clou Chablis - Wine.com
Calgary / Alberta Link: Domaine Passy le Clou Chablis | Highlander Wine & Spirits
3-Cheese Gin Fondue
Ingredients
- 1 cup fontina cheese, grated
- 1 cup Gruyere cheese, grated
- 1 cup Aged Gouda cheese, grated
- 1/2 cup Chablis or another high quality, dry (not sweet) white wine
- Juice from 1/2 lemon
- 2 tsp corn starch
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 large garlic clove, grated
- 2 tbsp Gin
- 2 tbsp salted butter
- To serve: Pickle onions, gherkins, sliced apples, french bread
Instructions
- Grate all 3 cheeses and set aside. There should be approximately 3-4 cups of cheese total.
- Heat dutch oven (or other heavy, enameled pot) over medium-high heat and add white wine and lemon juice. Bring to a light boil for approximately 5 minutes to cook off some of the alcohol.
- Create a 'slurry' with cornstarch and water and add to wine/lemon juice. Mix until smooth.
- Add grated garlic, gin, and butter. Stir to allow butter to melt, and then simmer for another 5-10 minutes to reduce liquid and cook off the alcohol. There should be a small amount of liquid in the bottom of your pot.
- Add the cheese 1 cup at a time. Mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon in between each cup, waiting for the cheese to be fully melted before adding the next.
- Serve immediately with a cold glass of Chablis (or whichever wine you cooked with), sliced apples, gherkins, pickled onions, French bread, or whatever you think would taste awesome dipped in cheese! *TIP: If you aren't eating this immediately, you can always store in the fridge and then reheat on the stove (or even the microwave) prior to eating.
