A blissful fondue

1 Trim one third from the base of the asparagus, the woody bit.

2 Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil, add the asparagus to the water and cook for about two minutes – but this entirely depends on the thickness of the asparagus. It needs to be still slightly crisp.

3 When cooked, plunge the asparagus into iced water. This keeps the colour and stops the cooking. Dry on a clean kitchen cloth.

4 Take a handsome little pot (you will be eating from this), or if you have a fondue pot use that.

5 Crumble in the cheese, then add the cream and apple juice.

6 Warm through until gently bubbling, stirring now and again.

7 Serve in the centre of a platter with the asparagus and roasted bread arranged around. Dip and dredge to your heart's content.