Mushroom Fondue By Ruby Boukabou

"You're never had fondue??" Philippe is horrified. "But I must take you! Tomorrow night!"
I accept, slightly embarrassed that I have been living for eight months in Switzerland without having tried their national dish.
And so, the next day, the evening before Christmas Eve, Philippe arrives to pick me up with rosy cheeks and a grin of expectation. We cross Pont Montbrilliant over the icy Lake Leman to Rive, park and climb out to minus temperatures. "This is great!" Philippe cries "You have to be very cold to appreciate fondue. It heats the insides." I grit a 'd'accord', while pushing forward on a 45 degree angle and bracing myself against 'La Bise' - the kiss-of-death wind that comes directly from Siberia and reminds me why I'm leaving Switzerland (and will never go to Siberia in winter): I'm an antipodean wimp when it comes to weather. The cold- it terrifies me; and I just cannot face another European winter right now.
We squeeze into a cozy corner table and Phillipe rubs his hands together and explains with sparkling teeth about white wine essentials when fonduing. It all sound very scientific.
"Red wine is not good. It forms a little ball in the stomach with the fondue," he insists gesticulating to show the movement of the red wine combining with the fondue.
I nod studiously and toast to Switzerland.
"And to us" he ads.

Full word count 900 words