You don't have to have a cosy snow-topped cabin to sample Alpine comfort food or enjoy candlelit rustic style.
January's The Simple Things contains two features built for winter dreaming. Turn to page 24 for six winter cabin cooking recipes, or page 96 for a look around the cabin of our winter dreams, deep in the snow of a Norwegian mountainside - order your copy now.
Meanwhile, here's a classic recipe for traditional cheese fondue.
Traditional cheese fondue
What could be more comforting – or delicious – than a melange of warm, oozing Alpine cheeses? Traditionally they are melted with white wine and grappa or kirsch; this version, with beer, is a little more subtle. A true Swiss fondue is a mixture of Gruyère and Vacherin Fribourgeois – a semi-hard cheese with a lovely nutty flavour. A fondue pot* gives the best results, as it sits above a flame that keeps the cheese melted and gently bubbling.
Serves 6–8
1 fat garlic clove, halved
2 tsp cornflour
400ml hoppy lager beer
800g grated mixture of Swiss or French Alpine cheeses, such as Gruyère or Comté, Vacherin Fribourgeois, good-quality Emmenthal and Beaufort (choose two or three)
1–2 tsp whisky, to taste
1 large loaf of slightly stale country white bread, cut into cubes
gherkins, pickled silverskin onions and charcuterie, to serve
1. Rub the garlic all over the inside of a fondue pot. Mix the cornflour with a little of the beer to make a smooth paste, then add this and the rest of the beer to the pot.
2. Put over a low heat, add the cheese and stir until it is melted and steaming but not boiling. If it is too thick you can add a little more beer. Add the whisky and then transfer to the fondue stand and light the burner.
3. Dip the slightly stale bread into the melting cheese and serve with lots of pickles and charcuterie.
*If you don’t have one, these are easy to pick up second-hand
Recipe taken from Winter Cabin Cooking by Lizzie Kamenetzky. Photography by Nassima Rothacker. Published by Ryland Peters & Small.
Readers of The Simple Things can buy Winter Cabin Cooking for the special price of £13.99 including postage and packaging (RRP £19.99) by calling 01256 302 699 and quoting the reference GLR EB6.
Want to set the scene? Eva Gill's snowy hillside home may be a world away from your own abode, but touches of rustic cabin chic are well within reach. Here are Eva's stylish tips for cabin fever:
Don't stint on candles
Because there is no electricity in the cabin, Eva keeps the lighting moody and atmospheric with plenty of candles, tea lights and oil lamps.
Smother furniture with sheepskin
Nothing is as cosy as sinking into fleecy warmth as the snow falls outside.
Fall in love with wood
There's no need to decorate a timber building when the colours and texture of wood are so lovely. Eva also chooses wooden kitchen accessories, mugs - even toothbrushes.
Keep fabrics neutral
Bright colours and patterns don't suit a cabin. Eva prefers natural fibres - linen, cotton - and simple stripes or subdued tartans.
Get inspired by beautiful wintry cabins on our Nest Pinterest board or head over to The Simple Things shop for a browse of our simple and stylish picks.
