Fondue

Fondue is a typical Alpine dish. One has to spear a piece of bread with the fondue fork and stir in the boiling cheese.  An old custom is that if a piece of bread is accidentally lost bread into the cheese pan the culprit has to pay a penalty. If a man, he should buy a round of drinks for the table. If a woman, she have to kiss all the men. Yet I never saw it enacted. 

Another tradition - the "coupe de midi" when you feel full. A small glass of Kirsch, knocked straight back, magically produces more room. 

One should not drink water with fondue. It reacts unkindly with the cheese and bread.  A good dry white wine or tea are the usual beverages.  

The crusty bit that forms at the bottom of the pot as the cheese keeps cooking is called the "crouton". It is peeled off and divided up among the guests as a sort of farewell to dinner. 

Ingredients per person: 

Mix the cheese together. Rub the inside of the pan with a half cut clove of garlic and let it dry until the rubbed places feel tacky. Put the wine in the fondue pan and slowly bring it to a boil. Slowly start adding cheese to the boiling wine, and stir constantly until each bit is dissolved, then add more.  When all the cheese is in, stir the kirsch into the cornstarch well, then add the mixture to the cheese and keep stirring over the heat until the mixture comes to a boil again.  Add freshly ground pepper and nutmeg to taste. Place pan on top of a small live flame (alcohol burner) and keep it bubbling slowly. Bread cubes are speared with the fondue forks and stirred around in the cheese.