Thursday, March 28, 2024 Mar 28, 2024
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SPIRITS

Hot Wine and Melted Cheese
By Victor Wdowiak |

All through my early life, my family pounded into my head the educational benefits of travel, how it expands your mental horizons and how it broadens one’s education. Alas, the broadening in my case has all happened around my waist and despite Dr. Cooper’s admonitions it stayed there. I have no regrets though. After all, how else could I share with you my experience with the cheese fondue, as served to my wife and me in front of a roaring fire in a tiny Swiss inn close to Zermatt.

The morning after, we reconstructed the proceedings with reasonable accuracy. The cook sort of whittled with a sharp knife about four cups each of two cheeses: Gruyère and Emmentaler. The tiny cheese shavings were then tossed with flour in a large bowl until evenly coated. Meantime, the inside of an earthenware casserole was wiped with a cracked clove of garlic and a half a bottle of dry white wine was brought to a two to three minute boil, then allowed to simmer. The cheeses were added to the wine a little at a time, while constantly stirring with a metal whisk, allowing each handful to melt before adding more. When all of the cheese was melted the cook stirred in a couple of jiggers of Kirsch and salt and pepper to taste. The casserole was placed on a small heater on the table and we all dipped a cube of bread, speared on a long fork, into the creamy fondue.

The taste and smoothness of texture were unforgettable. There is nothing dainty about eating fondue. Just open your mouth wide and enjoy. We drank fresh and fruity local red wine, because the Swiss do not believe in drinking cold white wine with melted cheeses. Needless to say, we ate and we drank enough to qualify for the fifth sin.

We tried the recipe again in Dallas during the last cold spell and it worked beautifully. Some of the credit must go to Gary Kirchner’s Cheese Shop. His Gruy?re and Em-mentaler were in impeccable condition.

The other cold weather stand-by apr?s ski (or, instead of ski) is the soul warming Swedish Glogg. This recipe, retyped many times, I have carried with me since before World War II. It is a memento of a cold, dreary yachting trip to the Baltic island of Bornholm which ended warm and cozy, partly due to the effects of Glogg but mostly due to the legendary hospitality of the natives.

I’ve given you my personal favorite, so it is only fair that I give you the recipe for a couple more -one from my native Poland and another as American as apple pie -for delicious variety in the coming months of winter.

The most fragrant (and potent) hot punch I remember from my younger days in Europe is Poncz Sylwestrowy, a concoction always prepared by the man of the family and served only once a year.

To serve 10 friends, begin by rubbing a quarter pound of sugar cubes on the skins of two lemons and three oranges until the cubes are saturated with the fragrant citrus oils. Then, in two quart-sized earthenware pots, heat one bottle of dry red wine and eight ounces of Jamaica rum. Add the sugar cubes and the juice of the oranges and lemons and bring to a boil. Serve hot.

From this side of the Atlantic, I present the Old American Cider Cup.

To serve eight persons this excitingbrew, mix a quart of dry cider, twosticks of cinnamon, a half-cup ofsugar and 12 cloves. Bring the mixture to a boil, then remove from heatand chill for two to three hours. Priorto serving, strain the spices and addfour ounces of apple jack. Bring to aboil again and serve hot.

GLOGG TO SERVE 20

3 bottles dry red wine, preferably Claret type.

2 bottles non-vintage Port.

1/2 bottle sweet French Vermouth.

10 whole cloves.

1 stick cinnamon.

Thinly sliced skin of 1 orange

10 whole cardamons (crushed in a towel with the rolling pin).

1 small piece fresh ginger.

1 cup sugar (or to taste).

OPTIONAL

Brandy or Aquavit to give it more pep.

Angostura bitters.

Blanched almonds.

First thing in the morning, mix all the liquids with all the spices in a six-quart stainless steel or enameled pot. Let it stand until evening so the flavors marry and develop. Just before heating, stir in the sugar and brandy and bring to a boil for a moment. Lower the heat immediately below the simmering temperature. You may strain the spices or not. Frankly, I don’t bother. Place three to four almonds in a mug or a glass tea cup and serve Glogg steaming hot. The extra delight is munching on the wine soaked almonds from the bottom of the mug.

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