Fondue

Ingredients

Cheese, the moitié-moitié blend

• 400 gGruyère AOP, aged at least 8 months, coarsely grated
• 400 gVacherin Fribourgeois AOP, grated or cut into small dice

The pot

• 1fat garlic clove, halved
• 400 mldry white wine, Fendant or another Chasselas
• 1 tbsplemon juice
• 2 tspcornflour
• 30 mlkirsch
• black pepper, freshly ground
• a grating of nutmeg

To dip

• 1large day-old white loaf, cut into 3 cm cubes with crust on every piece
• boiled small potatoes and cornichons, optional
• a caquelon, an earthenware fondue pot, and a rechaud burner

At the table

• 1glass of the same white wine per person, or hot black tea
• a small glass of kirsch, the coup du milieu

Directions

1. Rub the inside of the caquelon hard with the cut garlic, then leave the clove in the pot.
2. Pour in the wine and lemon juice and bring it to a bare simmer on the hob over medium heat. The acid is what keeps the cheese proteins in suspension.
3. Add the cheese by the handful, stirring continuously in a figure of eight with a wooden spoon and waiting for each handful to melt before adding the next. This takes about 10 minutes and cannot be rushed.
4. Cook 2 to 3 minutes more, still stirring, until the fondue is glossy, thickens slightly and just begins to bubble sluggishly at the edges. It should coat a piece of bread without dripping straight off.
5. Season with pepper and nutmeg. Do not add salt; the cheeses bring plenty.

Technique

• Moitié-moitié, half and half, is the Fribourg standard: Gruyère for the savoury depth and Vacherin Fribourgeois for the melt. Vacherin alone gives a fondue that is creamy but bland.
• A split fondue, oily on top and stringy below, means the heat was too high or the acid too low. Whisk in another teaspoon of cornflour slaked in lemon juice, off the heat, and it usually comes back.
• The Swiss rule against drinking cold water with fondue is folklore rather than physiology, but white wine or hot tea genuinely does make it sit more comfortably.

Substitutions

• No Vacherin Fribourgeois: use 800 g Gruyère alone for a firmer, sharper fondue, or 500 g Gruyère with 300 g Emmental for the neuchâteloise style.
• No kirsch: a little more wine plus a squeeze of lemon works, though the perfume of the cherry spirit is missed.
• No caquelon: a heavy enamelled cast-iron pan holds heat well enough to serve from, set over a tealight stand.

Variations

• Fondue neuchâteloise, Gruyère with Emmental and a full-bodied white.
• Fondue moitié-moitié, the Fribourg classic described here.
• Fondue aux herbes or with tomato, both modern Swiss supermarket favourites.

History

Melted cheese with wine appears in a Zurich recipe of 1699 and Swiss cookbooks from 1875; the Cheese Union promoted it as a national dish in the 1930s.

Frequently asked questions

What is Fondue?

Fondue is a main from Switzerland: melted Gruyère-Vacherin pot with wine; bread cubes dipped communally. Melted cheese with wine appears in a Zurich recipe of 1699 and Swiss cookbooks from 1875; the Cheese Union promoted it as a national dish in the 1930s.

How long does Fondue take to make?

Fondue takes 15 min of preparation and 20 min of cooking. The recipe makes 4 servings. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Fondue?

Yes, within limits. No Vacherin Fribourgeois: use 800 g Gruyère alone for a firmer, sharper fondue, or 500 g Gruyère with 300 g Emmental for the neuchâteloise style. No kirsch: a little more wine plus a squeeze of lemon works, though the perfume of the cherry spirit is missed. No caquelon: a heavy enamelled cast-iron pan holds heat well enough to serve from, set over a tealight stand.

What is the most important thing to get right in Fondue?

Season with pepper and nutmeg. Do not add salt; the cheeses bring plenty.