Headed out for some fall camping? Bring a pumpkin along and some great cheese, and make a fondue for a warm and memorable evening! Pumpkins roast well in the coals, and make a great vessel for melting cheese.
- 1 Long Island Cheese Pumpkin, approximately 3-5lbs (I bought mine at Farmer White’s in Williamsburg)
- ½ pound Emmentaler cheese
- ½ pound Gruyere cheese
- ¼ pound Raclette cheese
- 1 shallot, minced
- ⅔ cup white wine (I used Chardonnay)
- ½ cup heavy cream
Items needed:
- Fire-proof gloves
- Heavy aluminum foil, if necessary
While still at home, prepare your ingredients. Mince your shallot, and remove rinds from your cheese. Carve your pumpkin by creating an opening at the top, the wider the better, and remove any “guts.” Be sure to save your seeds to make pepitas for snacking by the fire!
Once at your fire pit, build a roaring fire using untreated wood and bring it down to hot coals (you will know they are ready once they are mostly white.) Then, place the minced shallot and white wine inside your pumpkin and place it directly on the coals, with the top placed back on. Shovel some coals near your pumpkin, and let cook until almost tender, about 20 minutes.
At this point, it may be smart to check the bottom of your pumpkin and make sure it is sound. If looking like you may have a breakthrough, wrap your pumpkin in aluminum foil for the remainder of the cooking time.
Open the top and place hunks of your cheese into the cavity of the pumpkin, finishing with the heavy cream. Stir constantly until you reach a melted cheese consistency, and using fire-proof gloves, lift the pumpkin from the fire and place it on a heat-proof surface, like a slate cheese board or glass baking dish. Garnish with dipping accouterments and fondue skewers. My choices included foil-baked campfire potatoes, radishes, and bread cubes from 9 Bean Rows, and gherkins.