Fondue toast

There are so many variations of cheese toast, but this one is my favourite—in part because it serves two roles.

Served cold, the cheese spread that is the star of this toast is excellent on bread, toast, or crackers. Broiled, it makes for cheesy goodness reminiscent of one of my favourite things in the world, fondue.

Best part? This is what you do with the end bits of the various cheeses that, if you love cheese as much as I do, invariably have sitting in your fridge hoping for a new life. Apparently, the legendary chef Jacques Pépin would make this fromage fort recipe.

Dice (1/2 inch) pieces of your cheeses. In my case, I have what amounts to a cup of diced gruyere and aged white cheddar. Mince a clove of garlic. Put that into a food processor and pour enough basic white wine (tablespoons at a time) into the mixture until the cheese breaks down and the mixture binds. Looks like this—it’s a bit wet.

This will make about a 1/2 cup of the best tasting fromage fort ever. Best way to use up your cheese ends.

Let it mellow in your fridge for at least a day before using. Then, when you are ready for a simple breakfast or lunch toast (or, cut in pieces, a cocktail hour appetizer), break out your fromage fort and put it to work.

I’ve got a rustic loaf of crusty bread, so I cut two slices and I’m going to get that into a frying pan with some olive oil (alternatively, you could brush olive oil on boths sides of the bread). Bread down.

You want that bread to turn golden brown on both sides before spreading the fromage fort onto it.

Season it with pepper (I used white pepper, but any pepper will do) and place that in the pan under the broiler.

Watch it until it’s brown and bubbly, and serve.

You get the richness of the cheese, garlic, and a hint of white wine that takes you right back to the last time you had a cheese fondue. And when was that? Nothing replaces a fondue, in my mind, but here’s a great way to celebrate those flavours and produce a quick cheese melt that is distinctive and memorable.

Trish Hennessy