Welsh Fondue

The dogs took my wife and I on vacation to the White Mountains of New Hampshire this week, and they told us that we should cook some special foods that remind us of your favourite European hikes (even if they were still a little sad they didn’t get to go on those specific trips). So, we packed our caquelon (fondue pot), and went on our merry way. About a mile from our AirBnB, we passed Landaff Creamery, where they sold a Welsh style cheddar, and that made our decision pretty easy. For this particular meal, we decided to pair Welsh ingredients with Swiss style!

This Fondue is definitely different from traditional ones, as the flavours are very distinct. For starters, we used the aforementioned Welsh style cheddar, which gave the dish a nice bit of saltiness. Then, we added in a little honey that we brought home from a little shop in Llanberis (after hiking Snowdon) to add a little sweetness. Finally, instead of using Kirschwasser, we used a little Scotch to give our fondue a distinct peaty earthiness!

For our dipping ingredients, we picked a homemade oat bread, roasted Brussels sprouts, and sautéed mushrooms! In the end, this was a perfect way to cap off a day hiking the Franconia Ridge (Little Haystack Mtn, Mt Lincoln, and Mt Lafayette).

Time: 20 Minutes (Plus any additional time needed to prep your dipping ingredients)

Ingredients (for two servings)

• About 2/3 lb of Welsh Style Cheddar
• Honey
• 1/2 cup of Dry White Wine
• 1.5 Tablespoons of Scotch
• 1 Tablespoon of Corn Starch
• 1 Clove of Garlic
• Black Pepper
• Dipping Ingredients…We used:
  • Homemade Oat Bread
  • Roasted brussels Sprouts
  • Sautéed Mushrooms

Method:

• Optional, but encouraged: Take your dogs on a long hike to get them tired.
• Prep your dipping ingredients. Cook those that take longer than 15 minutes to cook ahead of time.
• Slice or shred your cheese. We didn’t have a box grater at our vacation place, so we just cut it into small, thin pieces.
• Slice a clove of garlic in half, and rub it all around your fondue pot.
• Heat your fondue pot, and when it gets warm, pour in your white wine. Bring to a simmer over low heat.
• Add your cheese to the pan, and whisk it while it melts. Crack in some black pepper here too.
• Once your cheese has melted and is incorporated, stir in some honey, and bring back to a simmer.
• Mix your scotch and corn starch together, and when it’s fully combined, pour it into your fondue, and keep whisking as you do this.
• Once your fondue thickens a little (15-30 seconds), you’re good to go! Place your caquelon on your rechaud to keep the fondue warm as you eat.
• Dip, devour, and enjoy!