Before proceeding with a recipe for Fondue, I have to tell you about a friend of mine who, when asked, will tell you that his recipe for Fondue is Cheese Whiz and Manischewitz wine!  In Switzerland, where fondues originated, there are dozens of recipes. The following is one of the traditional ones:

Rub the interior of an earthenware fondue pot (you can use a Teflon lined pot) with the cut sides of a clove of garlic. Set the vessel over medium flame and heat the wine and lemon juice, but not to boiling. When hot, start adding cheese by the handful, stirring constantly in one direction with a wooden spoon. Each handful of cheese should melt and become thoroughly incorporated before adding more. Make sure that the heat is distributed evenly, otherwise the cheese can coagulate in the center. If this happens, it is better to stop and start over rather than risk ruining all of the cheese. When all the cheese has melted and the mixture has become smooth and creamy, season with pepper and nutmeg to taste and add kirsch, if you wish. Cut the bread into thick slices and then into quarters so that each piece has crust on one side. Keep the fondue warm over low heat as everyone dunks bread and coats each piece with the bubbling cheese mixture. If it gets too thick, add some more warm white wine and stir until smooth.

PS: If you’re in a hurry, Cardullo’s has an excellent prepared fondue mix from Switzerland available in the dairy case, or online.