Beer — Cheddar Fondue -- Warm Comfort While the Big Ideas Simmer

Fall. Drove Tuesday-Wednesday.

Scouted a closed roadside diner on I-80 near Grand Island — an old Route 30 roadhouse. Interesting. Close enough to the interstate. Kitchen looked functional through the window. I took pictures. Dave and I went Saturday to walk around it. He said, "Maybe." I said, "Maybe." We got the owner's number from a sign. Priced: $95,000 for sale. Renovation would be $200-300K. I am not ready. I am taking it in.

Gayle had a good week.

Dave and I drove home from that old roadhouse on Saturday with our heads full of numbers —$95,000, $200–300K in reno, a phone number scrawled on a napkin — and neither one of us quite ready to talk about it. Fall does that: it opens up possibility and then asks you to sit with it awhile. I wanted something warm and a little indulgent that night, something that fills the kitchen with a good smell and doesn’t demand anything in return. Beer & Cheddar Fondue was exactly right — the kind of thing you’d hope to find at a place like that old roadhouse, done well.

Beer & Cheddar Fondue

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 25 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 garlic clove, halved
• 1 cup lager or amber beer
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Crusty bread cubes, soft pretzels, apple slices, and blanched broccoli for dipping

Instructions

1. Season the pot. Rub the cut sides of the garlic clove all over the inside of a fondue pot or heavy medium saucepan, then discard the garlic.
2. Warm the beer. Pour the beer into the pot and heat over medium, bringing it to a gentle simmer — do not boil.
3. Coat the cheese. In a bowl, toss the shredded cheddar and Gruyère with the cornstarch until evenly coated. This prevents clumping.
4. Melt the cheese. Add the cheese mixture to the simmering beer one large handful at a time, stirring constantly in a slow figure-eight motion. Wait for each addition to be fully melted and smooth before adding the next.
5. Season and finish. Stir in the Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and smoked paprika. Taste and season with salt and black pepper.
6. Serve warm. Transfer to a fondue pot set over a low flame, or keep warm on the lowest stove setting. Serve immediately with bread cubes, pretzels, apple slices, and vegetables for dipping.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 275 | Protein: 15g | Fat: 18g | Carbs: 7g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 410mg