What Are You Doing New Years Eve?

The Brave Astronaut celebrated its New Years Eve with the OSG family last Friday night. Tonight, I have left Mrs. BA with the newest member of the space crew at the hospital and come home. If possible, I might be watching the inside of my eyelids come midnight, lest the insomnia rears its ugly head. We shall see.

Traditionally, my parents would have a holiday party during the Christmas week. My mother's Swedish meatballs would make an appearance along with pigs in a blanket (which will certainly appear soon at a football party to be held nearby soon).

So what did we have for our New Years Eve party (three nights early)? In past years, as it was for this one, it has meant fondue. And no it's not 1970. We served it with apples, pears, crusty bread, ham, and broccoli. For dessert, we had chocolate fondue, which was just as yummy. I will say here, this recipe calls for half Emmentaler and half Gruyere, the market had no Emmentaler, so we used all Gruyere . . . and it was good.

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch or potato flour
• 1/4 cup kirsch (cherry brandy)
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 1/2 cups dry, white wine
• 12 ounces shredded Emmentaler cheese
• 12 ounces shredded Gruyere cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  

Combine the cornstarch and kirsch. Set aside.

Slice the garlic in half lengthwise and rub the cut side over the inside of a medium, heavy saucepan. Discard the garlic. Pour the wine into the saucepan and bring it to a boil over a medium-high heat. Immediately reduce the heat to low. Add the cheese to the wine by handfuls and stir slowly until the cheese is just melted. (Stirring in a figure-8 or zigzag motion prevents the cheese from clumping.)

Stir in the cornstarch mixture, pepper, and nutmeg. Simmer for two or three minutes until it begins to thicken, but do not let it boil. Transfer to a warmed ceramic fondue pot and serve immediately. Keep warm over a very low flame.