Smokey Cheese Fondue for Valentines Day
What does Valentines Day mean to you?
Do you go all out with flowers and a romantic at a fancy restaurant? Do you celebrate at home with your sweetie?
When Dan and I were dating, our first Valentines Day approached. We were living in separate cities, me in Sacramento, Dan in Fresno. I was really clear on expectations. Valentines Day is no big deal. Hallmark holiday, blah, blah, blah. Dan said the same thing. Whew! Boy did I feel better.
I went thru the day. When I got home from work there were beautiful flowers that had been delivered. (Of course there was – Dan is such a romantic guy!) and you know what? That made my day. I had called him during the day and mailed him a card and I felt good about our celebration. We would see each other the following weekend.
That night at eight p.m. the doorbell rang and there was Dan at the door with a card! I was flabbergasted! He drove up that night after work (three hours) to give me a card and a kiss. What a guy!!!
Now Valentines Day means much more to me. We still enjoy a quiet evening, neither of us likes fighting a crowd (that definitely takes the romance out of it). Instead, a great glass of wine, maybe grilling.
Fondue is rich and savory.
Last year I made a beautiful cheese tray and this year we’re enjoying a savory cheese fondue. For us Valentine’s Day is a time to reconnect. Giving each other our complete and undivided attention means everything!
Smokey Cheese Fondue
This year we’re going to enjoy a beautiful meal of cheese fondue. The fondue recipe I’m sharing with you today is smokey and rich. Fondue is a great meal to share when you’re focusing your time on each other because it’s relaxing. There is no way to eat it in a hurry! This is your opportunity to turn off the television, your phones and the iPad off and just enjoy each other!
I love the steam curling out of the top of the fondue in this picture!
The cheese mixes together and is silky smooth. Bring it to the table when it is bubbly and hot. It is smokey, rich and savory. Enjoy this lingering over your favorite beverage – heaven!
Whisk in the cheese until the fondue is silky and smooth.
A meal of just cheese and bread? Yes it is that simple, though you can also dip steamed vegetables, baby red potatoes, slices of apples, broccoli, Brussels sprouts or sliced bell pepper. Just choose your favorite dipper. Lovely meal for a beautiful evening!
You can choose just about anything as a dipper into the fondue.
Happy Valentines Day to you!
Smokey Cheese Fondue
Ingredients
- 1 cup white wine I used Chardonnay
- 2 cups gruyere cheese shredded
- 1 cup white truffle cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup smoked monzerella cheese shredded
- 3 tsp raspberry or cherry liquor Grand Marnier or Kirsch*
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
Instructions
- Shred the cheese and set aside. Stir together the liquor and cornstarch & set aside.
- Add the wine to a pot on the stove placed over medium heat. Then begin adding the cheese. Add one handful at a time waiting until the cheese melts completely before adding the next handful.
- When all of the cheese has been added, whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Mix together well. Continue to simmer (do not bring to a boil!) over the stove for 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a fondue pot set over a flame when you're ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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Mix the cheese together until it is silky smooth. Bring it to the table when it is bubbly and hot. This fondue is smokey, rich and savory. Enjoy this lingering over your favorite beverage – heaven!
Healing Tomato
I am a HUGGEEE fan of fondue. We have a restaurant called the Melting Pot and it is centered around all kinds of foods you can fondue. It would be nice to make it at home and let it be more intimate. Love your recipe and your photos are making me drool.
Bowl Me Over
I have been to Melting Pot, there was one in Sacramento when I lived there – super yummy!! I forgot how good this is, so flavorful and super easy! More fun to enjoy at home, I agree!!
Michelle @ Vitamin Sunshine
Love cheese fondues– and love that you’re using kirsh in this 🙂 What a perfect Valentine’s meal!
Bowl Me Over
Thanks Michelle!! Happy Valentines Day to you!!
Luci's Morsels
This looks like such a fun meal!
Bowl Me Over
Yes, always so fun to enjoy a meal with your Valentine! 😀
Brandi Crawford
Smokey cheese! Oh my. I LOVE fondue. I love the idea of using white truffle cheese. GREAT idea.
Bowl Me Over
Awesome, thank you!! I hope you give it a try Brandi!!
John Kanell
This fondue recipe is very clever. My favorite ingredient to dip has to be broccoli. That bread also looks delicious.
Bowl Me Over
Thanks John! I think my fav is the brussels sprouts – love them dipped in the smokey cheese!
Cindy Gordon
I say YES to everything about this post! I LOVE cheese and I LOVE fondue. I need to make this, this coming weekend!
Bowl Me Over
I hope you really enjoy this yummy fondue Cindy! Thanks so much for stopping by!
Liza
Wow! This looks SO GOOD! And all the ingredients I’m sure land that perfectly decadent taste! I’m SO inspired to make it! And with your directions, Debra, it looks very much doable! 🙂 And you know what? Fancy restaurants can disappoint you every once in a while. But once you master a recipe – you’ll never disappoint your family with the result! 🙂 Happy V-Day!!! 🙂
Bowl Me Over
Happy V-Day to you Liza, I hope you had a wonderful day!!! I love making fondu and you’re right it’s really all about the basics, use your favorite cheese and enjoy!!
Julie
I never think to serve fondue but love the idea and this cheese sauce sounds amazing!
Bowl Me Over
I think fondue is an oldie but a goodie – thanks Julie, I hope you give it a try!
Sandra
Fondue was our meal for Valentine’s Day too! It’s been a tradition for several years, so much better than going out. Delicious!
Bowl Me Over
Cool! That’s awesome Sandra, thanks for stopping by!
debi at Life Currents
um… cheese… I think it makes the world go around. It makes life worth living. It brings sunshine to an otherwise cloudy day. ok, maybe that’s a bit much, but then again, cheese! This fondue sounds so good! I could eat it all day!
Bowl Me Over
Mmmmm….a bit much? Nah!! 😀 Thanks Debi!!
[email protected]'s Dinnertime Dish
Fondue is so much fun! I absolutely love the combination of cheese that you used, especially the white truffle cheese!
Bowl Me Over
Truffle cheese is AMAZING! And affordable at TJ’s i might add. 😉
Michaela Kenkel
MMMM!! This is perfect stay in date night food!
Bowl Me Over
So yummy, thanks Michaela!!
Angela
This is such a fun idea for an at home date night!!! I haven’t had fondue in FOREVER!
Bowl Me Over
I decided fondue needed to make the rotation every 6 weeks or so, it’s such a fun meal!
Christie
I can’t believe as much as I love cheese that I’ve never had fondue. It looks to die for!
Bowl Me Over
It’s time to give this one a try Christie – no fondue pot, no problem, use your slow cooker, that will work too! 😀 Enjoy!!
Aunt Bee
Smokey Cheese Fondue is one of my ALL TIME FAVORITES! This looks FANTASTIC!
Bowl Me Over
I love a great fondue, thanks Aunt Bee!!!
Jennifer A Stewart
I love cooking with my hubby. Even in our tiny kitchen, which is now in the process of being renovated, we love to be together in the kitchen. We are not those fru-fru couples that feed each other or have “lady and the tramp” moments but I can certainly start if we are feeding each other some fondue!!
Bowl Me Over
I like the way you think Jennifer! I’m picturing a “lady and the tramp” moment with my hubby, that sounds like fun!! Time to get a fondue pot!!
Michelle
I absolutely love fondue — and haven’t had it in so long! I think it’s time to change that!
Bowl Me Over
Fire up that Fondue Pot Michelle! 😀
Jenny | Honey and Birch
Forget Valentine’s Day – I want this every day!
Bowl Me Over
Oh yes, I agree – this is definitely going into our foodie rotation!