Recipes: 'Fete Accompli'

"Fete Accompli! isn't a new release this season," says food writer Heidi Swanson in her roundup of cookbooks to give and get this year. "But I'm including it because it has a lot of hip, fun and fast ideas and recipes for creative entertaining."

Chateau Marmont Kir Royale

5 ounces premium chilled rose champagne

1/2 ounce cassis

fresh lemon twist for garnish

Mixing instructions:

Fill flute with champagne. Add cassis. Garnish with fresh lemon twist.

Serves 1.

Stein Eriksen Lodge Cheese Fondue

1 garlic clove, chopped in half

1 cup cream

1 1/2 cups dry white wine

1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons cold water to make a slurry

5 ounces Emmentaler cheese, grated

4 ounces gruyere cheese, grated

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Salt to taste

2 ounces Kirschwasser

Cubed country bread, for serving

Diced apples, for serving

Diced pears, for serving

Rub a heavy bottomed pan with the garlic halves. Add the cream and white wine and bring to a boil.

Thicken the mixture with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the cornstarch slurry and then slowly add the cheeses, keep stirring until all the cheese is melted. Adjust the consistency with more of the slurry or more wine.

Add the nutmeg, salt and pepper. Finish with the Kirschwasser.

Dip the bread and fruit into the fondue and serve.

Serves 6 to 8.

From Fete Accompli by Lara Shriftman. Reprinted with permission from the publisher.