In my 20’s and most of my 30’s, New Year’s Eve was usually an evening of high expectations and deep disappointments. Every year I vowed that I would stay in reminding myself of the petty drama the year before, but then every year I would be cajoled by a friend to get out of my sweats and end up going to some random party. Okay, it wasn’t always a horrible experience, but one thing was guaranteed, the evenings always ended with a group of us shivering on a New York City street in the wee hours flailing our arms for cabs. Good times.
That was then, this is now
Our son was only a couple of months old when we celebrated our first New Year’s Eve as a family. He slept for most of the evening, but we invited friends over for an early evening celebration. That year I decided we would christen our white Le Creuset fondue set that we received as a wedding gift years before. Besides plenty of crusty bread, we also prepared apples, red peppers, cooked broccoli, boiled potatoes, and bacon.
Each successive year, we invited a new couple or family. And almost everyone in our circle of friends back then was starting to have kids, so the early celebration was convenient for all of our slumbering infants. And who am I kidding? It was a struggle to stay up late as new parents; couple that with some wine and it was nearly impossible.
Since moving back to the East Coast from San Francisco, we have kept up the tradition. Last year, my kids were old enough to take a dip with their fondue skewers. I was pleasantly surprised that they relished dipping their cubes of crusty bread in the hot gooey tangy cheese. What’s not to like?
Gallo Family tradition
Today we are partnering with Gallo Family Vineyards and sharing recipes using their wine. The first time I had tasted a Gallo Family wine was during the Food & Wine Conference this past summer.
Gallo Family Vineyards know a thing or two about family tradition. For the last 80 years Gallo Family Vineyards is still family-owned and has evolved over time, but have maintained their tradition of making great wine!
For today’s Sunday Supper, I’m sharing my recipe for fondue and am taking the liberty of incorporating Gallo Family Vineyards Moscato. If you have a fondue pot that is safe to use on the stove, by all means do so. It’ll save you the trouble of cleaning one extra pot. If your fondue pot is not stove-safe, then prepare the cheese fondue in a heavy-bottom pot and transfer it to the fondue pot when ready. And it is best to keep the fondue warm with a Sterno or burner on low. Most fondue sets should come with an adjustable burner.
Family Fondue #SundaySupper
Ingredients
- 1 garlic clove halved lengthwise
- 1 1/2 cups + 2 teaspoons Gallo Family Vineyards Moscato
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 8 ounces Emmental cheese coarsely grated (2 cups)
- 8 ounces Gruyère cheese coarsely grated (2 cups)
Instructions
- Rub the sides and bottom of a heavy-bottom pot with the cut sides of the garlic clove. Discard the cloves. Over medium heat, add the 1 ½ cups of wine and bring to a simmer. Do not let it boil.
- In a small bowl, stir the cornstarch into the 2 teaspoons of wine to make a slurry. Set aside. Note: The cornstarch will prevent the cheese and wine from separating.
- Gradually add cheese to the pot and cook, stirring constantly in a zigzag pattern, until cheese is just melted. Note: Stirring in a zigzag motion will prevent the cheese from balling up.
- Give the cornstarch a quick stir and stir into the fondue. Bring the fondue to a simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to fondue pot set over a burner or Sterno. Adjust the flame so that the cheese does not boil.
What to dip?
If possible, cut these items into bite-sized pieces, about 1-inch by 1-inch.
- Bacon, ham, sausage
- Boiled potatoes
- Steamed broccoli florets, cauliflower
- Fresh red pepper
- Apples, figs
- Lots of crusty French bread!
If you’d like to learn more about Gallo Family Vineyards wine, click here. You can also “like” them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter and Instagram, and you can subscribe to their videos on YouTube. You can also build your own custom family crest like the one above by clicking here!
Here is what the rest of the Sunday Supper crew is sharing today:
- Clementine, Whiskey & Wine Cocktail by Foxes Love Lemons
- Mandarin Spice Mulled Wine by girlichef
- Cabernet-Shallot Mushroom Cheeseburgers by The Weekend Gourmet
- Crock Pot Beef Bourguignon by The Dinner-Mom
- Easy Cranberry Bacon Stuffing by Momma’s Meals
- Fettuccine with Italian Sausage and Mascarpone by The Foodie Army Wife
- Family Fondue by kimchi MOM
- Lemon White Wine Green Beans & Mushrooms by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
- Linguine with Spicy Red Clam Sauce by Supper for a Steal
- Baked Stuffed Pork Chops with Moscato Gravy by Webicurean
- Moscato Orange Chicken with Olives by The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
- Moscato Stone Crab Scampi by Family Foodie
- Mushroom Risotto by The Messy Baker
- Portabellas Stuffed with Cabernet Onions and Gorgonzola by The Wimpy Vegetarian
- Red Wine Risotto by Shockingly Delicious
- Short Ribs With Pasta by Magnolia Days
- Pomegranate White Wine Panna Cotta by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Fudgy Red Wine Brownies by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Red Wine Chocolate Cake by Alida’s Kitchen
- Red Wine Velvet Cake by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos.
Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy! You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.
Disclaimer: Compensation was provided by Gallo Family Vineyards via Sunday Supper, LLC. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author, and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Gallo Family Vineyards.
