Sometimes it is hard for me to believe it has been several decades since I first moved to Tahoe. I should say, moved to Tahoe the first time. It was a two-year stint that accomplished two things for me.
The next time you are having a little get together, serve a cheese fondue and enjoy the party.
The first was to show me the area and Squaw Valley, which is where I spent the first year. The second accomplishment was my introduction to Sugar Bowl. I came out here with a group of friends from Vermont with the goal of opening a restaurant.
After the first winter, we decided not to open the restaurant and I talked three of my friends into riding bicycles back across the country. As it turned out, I ended up unable to ride that year and having to stay a second year while they did the ride. The disappointment I felt at missing out on my goal was pretty short lived as I took a job at Sugar Bowl as the night chef. (I did the ride the following year.)
Try our wine picks to pair with fondue
I was responsible for all dinners and had one person to help with some of the cold salads. It was a lot of work as I would put out anywhere from 50 to more than 100 dinners a night doing all the cooking including hot apps and hot desserts. The bonus to this set up, though, was that I was also doing every bit of my own prep work, which meant I knew exactly what I needed for the night and how long it would take me to be ready for service. It didn’t take long to set up my schedule so that I had plenty of time to ski.
I don’t know how many of you have never skied Sugar Bowl, but it is a great mountain and highly worth checking out. The skiing experience was much more like what an Easterner would expect from a California ski area. You know, much more laid back with no one really fighting to get a spot at the front of the line a good hour and a half before the lift even ran. Back then, you needed a little more patience just knowing you had to ride a gondola just to get from the parking lot to the bottom of the lifts and it was by no means a fast ride. But, then there is the mountain. There are plenty of nice cruiser runs, but then there also are plenty of steep narrow chutes. You can definitely scare yourself silly whenever the urge arises.
Ah, the memories. And, with those memories in mind, I thought I would give you a recipe for cheese fondue. It was one of the items we had on the menu back then and fondue is such a great treat. There is always something about the communal aspect of serving fondue and everyone gathering around the pot to dip their bread and other menu items in the tasty cheese mixture that just makes the meal a little more fun and interactive. This recipe is for a traditional cheese fondue, but, as always, don’t be afraid to change things up. An example would be to substitute some blue cheese into your mix or even some smoked Gouda. Also, use a wide variety of things to dip and not just bread. Blanche a variety of vegetables and serve some chunks of fruit such as apples. The next time you are having a little get together, serve a cheese fondue and enjoy the party.
Cheese Fondue
½ lb. grated Emmental Cheese
½ lb. grated Gruyere Cheese
1 garlic clove, cut in half
2 T cornstarch
1 C dry white wine
1 T lemon juice
1 T kirsch (or cherry brandy)
Pinch of fresh ground nutmeg
Rub the inside of a heavy pot with the garlic halves cut side and throw the garlic away. Toss the cheese with the cornstarch to coat it. Add the wine and lemon to the pot and bring to just a simmer. Gradually, stir in the cheese constantly stirring in a zigzag pattern so the cheese will melt smoothly. Once the cheese is all melted and smooth, stir in the kirsch and nutmeg, letting the mixture get hot but not boil. Pour into a fondue pot and serve with bread, raw and blanched vegetables, and apple chunks.
