The 1880

Pro chef & entertainer Kayla Parker displays the ingedients for our viewers at home

Want to seem classy but have trouble with even the simplest concept of sophistication? Well don’t fret (no need to start disfiguring those tiny forks your mother gave you when you went to college even though 97% of the time you eat with your hands). I have an easy, cheap, and deceptively refined recipe to serve at your next party.

CHEDDAR-BEER FONDUE!

This is my own recipe that I modified from a formal one simply because I really can’t justify buying a whole bottle of Worcestershire sauce and cayenne pepper for one pot of beer fondue. Also, there isn’t an exact science to making this dish so don’t worry if you find yourself with the less than perfect fondue. Almost all problems related to this dish are easily remedied. If you are nervous, don’t worry- I”ve gotten nothing but amazing feedback about this dish.

What you will need:

• A fondue pot (or a saucepan but you might to have to keep checking the heat)
• A small bowl of all purpose white flour
• 4 cups of shredded cheddar cheese (or two bags, or one block of cheese from the store)
• A can of beer (The best is a light lager that doesn’t have much character, such as Bud Light)
• A clove of garlic (optional)
• A baguette (a loaf of French bread)

What to do:

1. (Optional) Before you start cooking, you can add flavor to your fondue by rubbing the inside of the fondue pot with a piece of peeled garlic.
2. Turn your fondue pot on high or place your saucepan on the stove and turn on high. Add around ¼ a cup of your beer (YOU DON”T NEED A LOT!), and bring to a boil.
3. While heating up, flour your shredded cheese until the pieces don’t stick to each other anymore. This shouldn’t take any more than a small handful of flour. This prevents the cheese from clumping and burning while you are adding it to the fondue pot.
4. Turn the heat down the medium-low and start slowly adding your cheese while continuously stirring. And I don’t mean sort of slow. I mean SLOW. Less than a handful at a time, and let each new handful incorporate itself.
5. Stir in cheese until it has a nice thick fluid consistency.
6. Turn the heat down to low and serve.

Tips:

• It is better to start out with too little beer in the pot and have to add a little bit more later on. If you add too much at first your fondue will be watery.
• If the fondue is too thick, turn up the heat and add a little beer.
• If the fondue is too runny, add more cheese!
• Don’t keep the fondue on high because burnt cheese on a fondue pot is almost impossible to clean.
• To serve, just put the loaf of bread near the fondue and have people tear off pieces to dip into the fondue.
• Make it your own by using different types of cheddar and different types of specialty breads.
• This dish goes really well with an almost full Bud Light.

Try it and let me know how it turns out! I mean, honestly, its just melted cheese and beer. What is better than that?

Visit the formal recipe on the Food Network website.