THE BIG DIP Metropolitan Home/Weekend Cook Cheese fondue is the Danish furniture of food: It always seems on the verge of a comeback when in reality it never goes out of style. There's just something primal about dunking chunks of bread into a creamy extravagance of melted cheese that guarantees fondue pots will never go the way of the pressure cooker. Lately, though, this supremely classic dish has been turning up at parties and on restaurant menus in combinations the Swiss never imagined when they dreamed up the idea of melting cheese with wine and calling it a communal meal. What has made fondue ripe for rediscovery is its reliance on the new holy trinity of artisanal ingredients in America: Great cheese. Serious bread. And good wine. Evidence of fondue's undying appeal can be found in any well-stocked cheese shop, where instant mixes for making it are always on sale. But it's so simple there's no reason to reach for a shortcut. Whipping it up is faster than ordering in a pizza, and there's no more savory supper on a leisurely weekend evening. Traditionally fondue is concocted of a blend of three cheeses -- Emmenthal, Gruyre and Appenzeller in Switzerland; Comté, Emmental and Beaufort in France. But just about any good melting cheese will work, as long as it's real cheese and not corn oil solidified into an easy-slicing loaf. (Don't even think of using a fat-free "cheese" for this exercise in excess.) Even the most run-of-the-mill supermarkets now carry a good range of cheeses that make fine fondue, from Raclette and Brie to Gorgonzola and Fontina. With their distinctive pungency, goat cheeses are especially fit for melting, whether soft chevres or the firm Gouda or Fontina imported from the Netherlands or made domestically by Vermont Butter & Cheese. You can mix and match with any of them. Along with new choices in cheese, fondue benefits from all the hand-crafted breads -- sourdough, Tuscan and other sturdy, crusty loaves -- that are wiping out Wonder in this country. Any of them will hold up to a swirl in rich melted cheese. As for the third foundation of fondue, good, dry American wines work just as well as the traditional Swiss Neuchatel and Fendant (although those are increasingly carried by enterprising stores these days as well). A fumŽ blanc out of Oregon, or a pinot gris from California, does the acidic trick, with leftovers perfect for pouring with the fondue itself. Probably the biggest reason fondue is always irresistible, though, is that no special equipment is really needed. If you don't have a caquelon, as the fondue pot is known, you can improvise with a cast-iron, enamel-lined saucepan. CLASSIC SWISS FONDUE 6 ounces (1 1/2 cups) grated Gruyere 6 ounces (1 1/2 cups) grated Emmenthal 4 ounces (1 cup) grated Appenzeller 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 clove garlic, peeled and halved 1 1/2 cups dry white wine Freshly grated nutmeg and black pepper to taste 1 tablespoon Kirsch 1 large loaf crusty bread, cut into 2-inch cubes Combine the grated cheeses with the cornstarch and toss until evenly mixed. Set aside. Rub the garlic over the inside of a fondue pot, then discard. Heat the wine over medium heat, then add the cheese by the handful, stirring well after each addition until all the cheese is melted. Season with nutmeg and pepper to taste. Stir in the Kirsch and simmer 30 seconds. Serve with bread chunks for dipping. Serves 4. GOAT CHEESE AND CHORIZO FONDUE 1 clove garlic, peeled and halved 1 pound (4 cups) grated Arina goat's milk Gouda 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1 1/2 cups dry white wine 4 ounces dry chorizo, very finely diced (about 1 cup) Freshly ground white pepper to taste 1 large loaf potato bread or any sturdy bread with a good crust, cut into 2-inch cubes Rub the inside of a fondue pot with the garlic. Toss the cheese with the cornstarch and set aside. Heat the wine in the fondue pot over medium heat just to a simmer, then add the cheese a handful at a time, stirring until each addition is completely melted. When all the cheese is melted and the fondue is smooth, stir in the chorizo and heat through. Season with pepper to taste and pass the bread chunks for dunking. Serves 4. FOUR-CHEESE FONDUE 6 ounces (1 1/2 cups) grated Italian Fontina 6 ounces (1 1/2 cups) grated Asiago 2 ounces (1/2 cup) crumbled Gorgonzola 2 ounces (1/2 cup) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1 1/2 cups dry white wine 1 tablespoon grappa (or brandy) Squeeze of fresh lemon juice Freshly grated nutmeg to taste Freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 loaf Tuscan or other crusty bread, cut into 2-inch cubes Toss the four cheeses in a bowl with the cornstarch and set aside. Heat the wine just to a simmer in a fondue pot or saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the cheeses a handful at a time, stirring until they're completely melted before adding more. Simmer, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thickened. Stir in the grappa and lemon juice and simmer 30 seconds. Season with nutmeg and black pepper to taste. Serve with bread for four people.