I didn’t post yesterday on the day the world cup started, I didn’t have much more to say on the topic that wasn’t covered by Gary Lineker and the wonderful Alex Scott. I agree wholeheartedly with her views on progress and hope it continues to make the experience safer and more welcoming.

Effectively remaining neutral, I thought it would be a good time to eat from my final ‘home’ nation. My maternal grandmother was Swiss, which technically makes me a quarter Swiss, which a bigger share than my Welsh heritage. 

I’m a big fan of cheese, and a big fan of fondue. What’s better than a big pot of hot melty cheese that you dip stuff in to? Not a lot. Of course it isn’t as simple as just melted cheese, although that makes up a big part of it. Recipe books will often over complicate the process or make it feel that there is some kind of magic at play, there isn’t, it really is quite simple. 

It won’t matter that you didn’t rub a single clove of garlic around the cooking pot before you start. It won’t matter what wine or sherry you use to start it with, and won’t matter that you don’t have kirsch to add at the end. It also doesn’t matter if you decide that Gruyere and Emmental are just too expensive when you need about 4 blocks worth, so you use whatever cheddar you’ve got, or the leftovers of the Christmas cheeseboard. (nothing with bits in it though!) It also won’t matter if you don’t have a proper fondue pot and fondue forks, a decent saucepan and ordinary forks will do. 

Bread is traditionally dipped although some like little boiled potatoes, we’ve added a bit of charcuterie to the mix, and cornichons make an excellent addition as well. If you’re having fondue, cut your bread up about an hour or two before you want to use it. It dries up a bit which gives it a little more rigidity when you come to dip it, as well making it a bit more porous. The fondue itself is really quick to make, white wine or sherry, followed by handfuls of grated cheese, and then a little bit of cornflour at the end to fully combine it and thicken it. 

Years ago, I think it was my dad who convinced my brother in law that you can’t drink white wine and have to drink hot tea with it, or the cheese will cool and form an un-digestable cheese ball in your stomach. Oh how we laughed.

I love fondue, I’ve had away from home as well, firstly in Switzerland when I went visiting my family, on the side of a mountain. Amazing. I’ve had it in Luxembourg, with my husband, who did a sterling job when for some inexplicable reason my appetite vanished and he accused me of betraying my heritage! And finally in Spain, in a ski resort. Our fellow diners, a couple we had travelled with, had a meat fondue (boiling oil and beef that you deep fry at the table) and let me tell you, if you’re planning on having a few drinks on the last night of your skiing holiday, choose the cheese and bread version, I beg you, choose the cheese.