Cheese and Beer Fondue

 This recipe comes from a cookbook I have had since the early 80's, some of the pages have come loose from the binding from age or use.  Put out by Better Homes and Gardens it has tons of cooking & serving ideas, although the pictures now are very dated looking at some of the clothing on people the recipes are still good.  I would make this fondue when the kids were young they loved to dip things and who can resist a big bowl of cheese.  We have had some unseasonably cold weather which sent me into fall cooking.  The recipe works great for football/baseball season and can also be used as an appetizer.  In the 80's we had a sectional couch you could flip a cushion off the ottoman and there was a table underneath so we could sit on the floor to eat our fondue, that put some fun into dinner.  I have adapted the recipe a bit over the years but it is so easy to make.  Tossing the flour with the grated cheese seems to work well when making a sauce, I have used that idea whenever I make a cheese type sauce.

Cheese and Beer Fondue

3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 T flour
1 small garlic clove
1 can of beer
1/2 c water
2 T mayonnaise
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp ground dry mustard

Good bread
meatballs
vegetables-anything you can dip

Directions:
Toss cheese with flour and set aside.  Rub the bottom of sauce pan with garlic clove and then discard garlic.  Add beer and water to the saucepan.  Heat the mixture till warm over medium heat, gradually add cheese/flour mixture stirring constantly.  It is best to make sure cheese is melted before adding more.  Just before serving stir in mayonnaise, Worcestershire, mustard and stir.

Transfer the hot cheese mixture to the fondue pot, place over burner or small votive.  It is important when dipping to swirl mixture a bit to keep it from setting.  If it does thicken to much stir in a little more beer.

Dipper ideas:  meatballs, broccoli, oven fries, bread, etc.

A vegie tray makes a good side dish and could also be dipped.

I baked the meatballs, roasted the broccoli,
and made the oven fries all at the same time .