Fondue Night

What better way to celebrate Valentine's Day than with slender two-tined forks, a fresh baguette, an array of bite-sized morsels, and a bubbling pot of Switzerland's greatest export since chocolate and neutrality.

I'm writing, of course, of fondue: white wine, a splash of kirsch, a blend of Gruyere and Emmental cheeses, and an evening of dipping and sipping (a white wine from just across the border in the Jura region of France). For me, there's no more relaxing and pleasurable way to eat.

When we make fondue we tend to eat it all; the rubbery mass of congealed cheese in the fridge isn't nearly as appetizing the next morning. So this time we limited the amount, and the number of fixings, to a reasonable repast. Sliced apple and Bosc pear, blanched potatoes and broccoli, and a baguette just out of the oven. We enjoyed it all, and still had room for a slice of pie.

I can think of no better way to combat the hustle and bustle of contemporary life, or to make a joy out of what has for most people become the drudgery of cooking dinner. Slow down! And have a fondue night.