Whether it’s Valentine’s Day, an anniversary, or just a Friday night in, we all need a romantic dish on hand to prove we’ve still got it. Katherine and Randy Feltis, the power couple behind the cooking account Katherine Wants, have a solution — well, several solutions. Their debut cookbook, Katherine Wants: The Ultimate Date Night Cookbook is a primer on simple yet elegant meals that will put your date in the mood for love. One of our personal faves in their repertoire is their easy yet super-flavorful cheese fondue.
“Since we started dating,” the Feltises write, “we’ve loved to do a weekly grazing date, and this has become one of our favorite recipes for it. It’s a great way to clean out the fridge and use up all of those cheeses. Plus, it makes date night fun and interactive.”
There’s just something special about a no-fuss yet exciting experience that urges you and your sweetheart to use your hands. And the best news might be that you can also easily cook this meal together, if kitchen collaboration is your thing.
The fondue calls for three cheeses, but the Feltises note that the dish is adaptable to whatever high-quality cheese is currently taking up space in your fridge. Feel free to play around with the flavor using different bases.
That said, you will specifically need three types of alcohol: Small amounts of white wine, Kirsch, and brandy. Cornstarch thickens it all up, while nutmeg and white pepper add just enough spice. A squeeze of lemon juice contributes some tartness to brighten every bite.
Lastly, the Feltises say you don’t need to go out shopping for a fondue pot in order to enjoy the dish. If you don’t have one on hand, simply eat straight out of the pot you cooked it in. We promise that the ad-hoc grazing arrangement is a lot more dynamic — and romantic — than it sounds.
Cheese Fondue
YIELD: 2 to 4 servings • PREP TIME: 9 minutes • COOK TIME: 12 minutes
Ingredients
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- ½ ounce Kirsch
- ½ ounce brandy
- 1 cup shredded aged white cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded Emmental cheese
- 1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- Crusty bread, for serving
Instructions
- In a medium heavy-bottomed pot, bring the wine, Kirsch, and brandy to a simmer.
- In a mixing bowl, toss the cheeses with the cornstarch until evenly coated. Add to the simmering wine mixture and stir over low heat until melted. If you have a fondue pot, transfer the melted cheese mixture to the fondue pot and set to low heat to maintain the perfect consistency. If you don’t have a fondue pot, you can leave the heavy-bottomed pot on the stove and hover or simply reheat the cheese mixture when it becomes too thick and cool.
- Season the fondue with the salt, white pepper, and nutmeg. Finish with the lemon juice and serve with your favorite crusty bread.
And here’s a tip: Quality cheese is important. However, this is an adaptable fondue recipe, and the types of cheeses can be substituted to your liking. It’s a great way to clean out an overflowing cheese drawer. Instead of bread, try serving the fondue with roasted vegetables. For example, you can take a whole head of cauliflower, rub it with olive oil, season it with za’atar, and then roast it. The roasted florets are made for dipping into cheese fondue.
Recipe by Randy & Katherine Feltis
