Anyone out there know fondue?
I made it for the first time yesterday, and I don't know if I did something wrong or not.  I did the grated gruyere/emmenthal cheese in the simmering dry white wine; stirred in a zigzag pattern so the cheese wouldn't ball up; acheived a uniform creamy consistency (a couple of lumps, but nothing drastic).  Did the shot of kirsh at the end.

Here's the question: After transferring it to the fondue pot it was under the flame for about an hour.  Two things happened and I don't know if I did something wrong or it was unavoidable.
One, the sauce began to separate, the thinner sauce rising to the top and the heavier sinking.  Two, when I was cleaning out the fondue pot there was a fairly thick layer of browned cheese on the bottom of the pot.  The spot immediately over the flame had the most burned cheese.  

Anyway, I save the sauce.  The browned cheese is tasty and I think I'm going to use the sauce to homemake mac and cheese.

Did you use the liquid/gel type fuel? Sometimes if your fondue pot is just metal(as opposed to a ceramic pot that sits in the metal pot)the liquid stuff burns too hot. A votive candle might work better.

Well all the ingredients were perfect.  I am not sure I get where you were transferring it from ??  I always make it in the fondue pot over the flame - not in a seperate container.

Because of the types of cheese used - and the wine - it will always seperate towards the end of the night - ideally every time you dip you should give a little stir as well.  This helps with the amount that will always end up sticking at the bottom and going brown.

I find that cheese fondue works better in ceramic pots and sauce and choc fondues are better in the metallic pots.  I have both the fuel (metho) burning variety (my fabbo original bright orange 70's ones) and the cute new mini ceramic ones they make now that you can just use a tea candle underneath.

Keep trying !  Its my fav kinda meal - and I still find it hard to believe that I was sharing one with my favorite singer just a week and a half ago !!!!!

I prepared it in a saucepan on the stovetop (per instructions... even rubbed it with half a clove of garlic before starting)

The heating element: It's an unused fondue pot I bought off e-bay.  I filled the heater with denatured alcohol, as directed, and adjusted the flame as low as possible.  

Well, you can't ask me for advice on this one. Fondue's just melted cheese to me.  ;D

isnt that raw fish or somin'?