Swiss cheese fondue

• 1 clove Garlic (halved)
• Black pepper (freshly ground)
• 4 teaspoons Cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice (if the wine is not very crisp)
  Swaps (1)
• 1 pinch Nutmeg
• 400 g Emmentaler Cheese (or Vacherin Fribourgeois for a true moitié-moitié, coarsely grated)
• 300 ml Dry White Wine (crisp, such as Chasselas)
  Swaps (1)
• 400 g Gruyère (coarsely grated or thinly sliced)
• 600 g Stale bread (a day old, crust on)
• 2 tablespoons Kirsch (optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Cut the bread into 2 to 3 cm cubes, making sure each one keeps a piece of crust so it stays on the fork. Grate the cheeses or slice them thinly and mix them together.

   10 min

2. 2

   Rub the inside of the caquelon thoroughly with the halved garlic. You can remove it, or chop it very finely and leave it in if you like a stronger flavour.

   2 min

3. 3

   Pour the wine and lemon juice into the caquelon and heat it on the hob over medium heat until steaming but not boiling.

   4 min

4. 4

   Add the cheese a handful at a time, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon in a figure of eight, and wait for each batch to melt before adding the next. Do not let it boil hard or the cheese will turn rubbery.

   12 min

5. 5

   Mix the cornflour with the kirsch (or a little cold wine), stir it in and keep stirring until the fondue thickens, turns smooth and glossy and starts to bubble gently. Season with pepper and nutmeg; it rarely needs salt.

   3 min

6. 6

   Bring the caquelon to the table and set it over the lit burner on a low flame. Each person spears a cube of bread with a long fork, dips it while stirring in a figure of eight so the cheese does not catch on the bottom, and lets it drip for a moment before eating.

   25 min