TO DIE FOR GORGONZOLA FONDUE WITH PETER REINHART'S HERBED FOCACCIA BREAD

Friends, I have found the holy grail of leisurely weekend lunches: fluffy pillows of Peter Reinhart's focaccia bread smothered in to die for Gorgonzola fondue. Add a few tart slices of apple and snappy green beans and, well, there are  simply no words. 

I mean, just look at those gorgeous, airy pockets of awesome in this focaccia. Glory in the golden crust that sparks in the mouth with Kosher salt, Parmesan, garlic, and herbs. Rendered speechless, right?

Warren and I first tried Gorgonzola fondue at Sweet Lorraine's, a great little restaurant our friend Stephanie introduced us to. It looked so unassuming, this creamy white bowl of cheese standing guard over a stack of steaming focaccia. We ended up practically licking the bowl clean. At a recent Sweet Lorraine's girls' night out, we slathered the fondue onto our burgers and dunked our fries into it. I'm telling you, this stuff is lethal. And perfect. I had to figure out how to make it at home. My version is a little thicker and a little cheesier. But there's no harm in that. Not one bit. 

This fondue is not for the weak at heart. It is robust and rich. It enjoys a challenge. Warren, despite his lactose intolerance, could not ignore its siren call. He popped a Lactaid pill and hoped for the best. After his first bite, he promptly crowned it The Best Thing Ever and used half the pan of focaccia to soak the Gorgonzola fondue up. 

I won't put Peter Reinhart's focaccia recipe here since it's quite long but it is, without a doubt, the best focaccia I have ever made. It's sticky and seems involved, but it's actually quite simple, just super time intensive. You'll want to set aside an afternoon to make the dough. Then it needs to be in the fridge overnight before being baked. It's perfect for a lazy weekend at home and it is worth every single minute. I used Brown Eyed Baker's version of the focaccia. 

TO DIE FOR GORGONZOLA FONDUE

Inspired by Sweet Lorraine's

• 1 garlic clove, smashed
• 3/4 cup half and half (you could also use heavy whipping cream for even more decadence)
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 5 oz. tub of Gorgonzola cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Italian cheese
• 1 tablespoon parsley
• 1 teaspoon rosemary
• pinch of white pepper

Rub the garlic clove on the bottom of a heavy pot. Add the half and half and chicken stock. Bring the liquid up to a slight simmer on medium heat. When steam starts rising from the liquid, pour 1/4 cup of it into a measuring cup. Stir the cornstarch into the 1/4 cup of warm liquid until dissolved. Set the cornstarch slurry aside.

Add the Gorgonzola and Italian cheese to the pot. Stir until melted. It takes a few minutes and will seem very watery. Never fear, the cornstarch slurry will turn it into a lush pot of melted goodness. Add the cornstarch slurry to the pot. Bring to boil for about 30 seconds, or until the fondue has thickened. 

Take off the heat and stir in the herbs and white pepper. You can use a few grinds of black pepper instead. Serve with fresh focaccia, fruit slices (like apples and pears), and vegetables. Feel free to pour the leftover sauce onto anything that strikes your fancy. Serves 2 as a hearty lunch with some leftover, or 4 as an appetizer. 

Need more decadence in your life? Try the easy pudding-filled eclairs or the no-bake cake batter or brownie butter truffles.

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