ALL ABOUT FONDUE

We have partnered with Kuhn Rikon to bring you the best products made in Switzerland when it comes to fondue and raclette .  To go along with your fondue set, with each Greys fondue cheese kit you are set up to make the most delicious recipe to include Gruyere, Emmentaler and Appenzeller.

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What is Traditional Swiss Fondue?

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The French term fondue means to melt.  It constitutes a pot of bubbling, melted cheese, to soak and dip pieces of cubed breads, charcuterie, fruits or vegetables.  The cheese is put into a caquelon (fondue pot) which is traditionally made from enameled cast iron, porcelain or clay.  The word caquelon is a Swiss French term originating in the 18th century derived from the French dialect word kakel which means earthenware casserole.  

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We do not know exactly how fondue originated but the popular legend is that peasants, braving the winter months in the Swiss Alps, found that melting cheese and wine together made for a delicious way to stay warm and use up stale bread.

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Fondue was declared the country's national dish in 1930, in an effort to boost both exports and domestic cheese sales.  There are over half a dozen regional varieties of Swiss-style fondue but the basics are the same: Gruyere cheese, often mixed with other Swiss cheeses like Emmental, Sbrinz, or Appenzeller mixed together with a bit of cornstarch or flour so that the cheese emulsifies better and has a smoother texture without clumps. Swiss-style fondue is traditionally flavored with garlic, white wine, and kirsch (Swiss cherry brandy).

 

Fondue is eaten year-round on the French side of Switzerland, the rest of the country enjoys the dish in the fall and winter months. Fondue is primarily served as the main dish, not an appetizer or as part of a multicourse meal. 

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Let's make traditional Swiss Fondue.  This recipe feeds 4 - 8 people:

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INGREDIENTS:

• 1 clove garlic

• ½ lb piece Gruyere, rind removed and grated

• ½ lb piece Emmentaler, rind removed and grated

• ½ lb piece Appenzeller, rind removed grated

• 1-1 1/4c dry white wine, such as Swiss Fendant 

• 1 heaping tablespoon corn starch

• Squeeze of lemon juice 

• 1.5T kirsch (substitute brandy or cognac)

• Pinch of black pepper

• Pinch of grated nutmeg

• Crusty bread, cut into cubes for dipping. Boiled baby potatoes are good too! 

• Cornichons and/or pickled pearl onions for palette cleansing

 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cut your garlic clove in half, and use it to rub the inside of your fondue pot with it, then discard it. Add in the wine and heat to a simmer (medium low) - do NOT boil. 

2. Toss your cheese with a good pinch of the corn starch. Whisk the remaining corn starch into the kirsch to make a slurry. If not using kirsch, make a slurry using another 1/4c wine. 

3. Add in your squeeze of lemon juice then whisk in your cheese, a handful at a time. 

4. Reduce heat from a simmer to low, then whisk in the kirsch slurry, then the pepper and nutmeg. Stir gently until smooth, serve immediately. 

5. As part of the fondue traditions, do a shot of kirsch halfway through the meal. This is called “le coup du milieu,” which means “the middle shot.” This (allegedly) helps settle your stomach. 

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