My first homemade Cheese Fondue

My first homemade Cheese Fondue

Back in my poor student days, I cried for my Christmas tree. We didn't have the money to buy on and the tears started flowing. It worked; A friend knew a friend whose Dad owned a Christmas tree farm and how could they let a poor American suffer her first Christmas away from family without a tree.

I felt I needed to thank this gardener and his friend and thought fondue would be an inexpensive and easy way to fill them up and thank them. Off to the discounter Aldi I scurried to buy all the cheese. With no fancy tools, I grated and grated and stirred and stirred. Those two boys came, and with Markus and I we sat down to fondue.

I had miscalculated though. I hadn't made for four but rather for two, and with their sizes and students appetites, I should have made for six. It took minutes for them to devour every bite. I have never again made homemade fondue. I buy the package from the cheese shop. I have never again not had enough fondue either. 

I was embarrassed and have thought of that fail often. Last year I bumped into that gardener at a birthday party. And as my embarrassment burns on, and I was sure he remembered I had to thank him again for the tree and apologize for my nineteen-year-old self. As I brought it to his attention he laughed; he had no recollection, he had even forgotten the tree but luckily he did remember me. 

–Allison Ochs, Social Worker M.S.W. , Coach, Expat, Mother of three, Wife

Photo by Gary Sandoz on Unsplash