Cheese Fondue recipe

One of our newer traditions at Christmas is to make cheese fondue on Christmas Eve and share it with family. We've got several fondue pots amongst Joshua's family, and everyone brings food to dip. Here are some things we like to dip: browned steak, crusty bread, apples, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, green pepper, etc., We also like to make chocolate fondue for dessert, and in that we like to dip: apples, strawberries, bananas, oranges (Clementines), blueberries, graham crackers, marshmallows and sugar cookies. YUM! And beware, it is always a mess, especially with kids- but OH SO GOOD!

Mallory enjoying the chocolate fondue last year...

Here is the cheese fondue recipe that we've used, found in Better Homes and Gardens NEW Cook Book (copyright 1989):

3 cups coarsely shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese (12 ounces)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 glove garlic, halved
1 1/4 cups dry white wine (can subs. 1/4 chicken broth or water for 1/4 cup of wine)
1 tablespoon kirsch or dry sherry
Dash ground nutmeg
Dash pepper

Bring shredded cheese to room temperature. Toss flour with cheese; set aside. Rub inside of fondue pot with garlic halves; discard. Set pot aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat wine of medium heat until small bubbles rise to surface. Just before wine boils, reduce heat to low and stir in cheese mixture, a little at a time, stirring constantly and making sure cheese melts before adding more. Stirs until mixture bubbles gently (takes approx. 30 min.)

Stir in kirsch or sherry, nutmeg, and pepper. Transfer mixture to fondue pot; keep mixture bubbling gently over a fondue burner. Makes 5 servings.

For the chocolate fondue, they sell a dipping chocolate that we buy and just melt on the stove before we transfer it to the fondue pot.

What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions? Let me know if you've tried this before or if you try it soon! Enjoy!