That's So Cheesy

Before I get to the cheesy part, I want to mention that yesterday was my sweetheart's birthday! I'm so sad that it's over already; I just love having the freedom to spoil him like he deserves. We spent the evening in the city and had dinner and drinks at Fogo de Chao (awesome restaurant if you have a meat-lover in your circle). Before heading down, he got to open the presents that he was left to ogle over all day while I was at work (tee-hee!).  If I had to guess the Mr.'s favorite gifts from last night -- the bean bag toss game to round out his outdoor game collection, the Legend of Zelda blanket that I made especially for him, and the vertical chess board set which brings a whole new meaning to the "art of chess." If you've never heard of Straight-Up Chess, I seriously recommend that you check it out... the product is innovative, the quality is impeccable, and the customer service is outstanding. (I'll take a good picture of his tomorrow when the sun is out again)

Now, on to the cheesiness (yeah!!).... Yesterday went by too quickly, so today was time to celebrate over lunch with his parents. Since my in-laws have never enjoyed any type of fondue, we thought it would be a great communal birthday meal. The main course was a variation of the Coq au Vin recipe found in the Melting Pot's cookbook and served with raw bite-sized marinated meats (rosemary chicken and a savory filet mignon), organic P&D shrimp, and veggies (carrots and baby potatoes). While it was absolutely delicious, my take on the classic cheese fondue was the show stopper in my mind at least. After all, what's not to love about cheese and wait for it........................................................................ champagne? Yeah, nothing. That's what I thought.

CHEESY CHAMPAGNE FONDUE
Ingredients:

• 8 oz Shredded Gruyere
• 8 oz Shredded Emmentaler or Fontina
• 1 1/4 cups brut champagne (dry!)
• 2 Tablespoons snipped green onions
• 1 clove of garlic, peeled and cut in half
• 1 loaf of fresh, crusty bread, cubed (I used Wegman's Garlic Tuscan Bread... YUM!)

Directions:

1. Rub the garlic cloves along the inside of the fondue pot
2. Heat the pot to medium and pour in the champagne
3. Let the champagne warm up, then stir in the cheeses until they cook together and are smooth (depending on your pot this could be as fast as a minute, or as long as 15 minutes)
4. Stir in the little snippets of green onion and turn the heat to low
5. Serve with the bread cubes on fondue forks and enjoy