Guinness Fondue with White Cheddar

Yes, I realize that Guinness doesn't necessarily equal Irish (I mean, actually it kind of does, but, whatever), but it seems like all of the good "Irish-ish" recipes involve Guinness in one way or another. Frankly, it has a unique flavor that still comes through even after mixing it and cooking it and diluting it, and you've got to love that. Need some examples? Last year, we made Broiled Lamb Chops with Guinness Glaze and, one of our more popular posts from last spring, Guinness Chocolate Cake (which, if you haven't made it yet, stop reading this post and do so).

For this St Patrick's Day, we've got some unbelievable, mind-blowing, palette-melting, green-frosted treats coming your way tomorrow, but, until then...we have fondue. Is fondue Irish? I can't imagine. It's French, right? No, German. Whatever (apparently it's actually French, Swiss, and Italian - since when do they all agree on anything?). At any rate, this fondue is considerably more Irish than most. Dipping bread? Nope. Cauliflower (and brussels sprouts, but I'm blocking that out...), potatoes, and apples for dipping this time. Also, a very strong (bold?) cheese mixture of white and yellow cheddars, Guinness, apple juice, and Dijon mustard (you are aware of the magical properties of Dijon mustard, are you not?). I don't technically know for sure that any of those things (besides the Guinness) are technically Irish, but the combination certainly gives that impression. Regardless, it's delicious, and you should try it.

The recipe we worked from pushed this as an appetizer, but, for our little crowd, it was a very filling meal. In fact, we had a decent amount of leftover cauliflower! You could certainly serve it as an appetizer for a crowd, but I wouldn't make it as anything other than a main course for a group of four or fewer (strangely enough, we served it with Challah bread - there's a story there that has to do with day-old Challah on clearance and curiosity meeting fatefully one Sunday afternoon - and while it was quite tasty, that may be a bit too much ethnic food blending for some).

So, whether you get to it on St Patty's or not, try this hearty, tasty fondue recipe sooner rather than later. You'll love it - and you'll be full.