 Cheese fondue is comfort food and glamour food, rolled into one. Photo courtesy Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.
February 2009
Last Updated February 2014
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Cheese Fondue Recipe
Page 1: Swiss Cheese Fondue With Three Types Of Cheese
This is Page 1 of a three-page article. Click on the black links below to visit other pages.
The History Of Cheese Fondue
Fondue, a melted cheese dish, originated in the Swiss canton of Neuchâtel. Each  canton has its own variation on the recipe, which generally consists of at least two varieties of cheese, wine and a bit of flour or cornstarch to keep the melted cheese from separating. The fondue is served from a communal pot called a caquelon, using long forks to spear a cube of bread that is swirled in the melted cheese. The tradition dates to the 18th century; some say it was developed as a way to use slightly stale bread. The word fondue itself is the past participle of the French fondre, to melt down.
Photo: Swissmar red ceramic fondue pot.
Melted cheese is a popular concept.
- Raclette is a related dish, made from a Swiss cheese that is similar to Gruyère. Instead of melting in a communal pot, the wheel is brought to the table, exposed to heat and and scraped onto a plate as it melts (racler is French for “to scrape”). It is traditionally served with boiled potatoes, cornichons and dark bread.
- Fonduta is an Italian dish similar to fondue, made with Fontina cheese, milk and egg yolks. Elegant versions top it with shaved white truffle.
- Kaas Doop is a fondue-style Dutch dish made with Gouda cheese, milk and brandy, with nutmeg seasoning, that uses brown bread for dipping.
Murray’s Cheese, one of the country’s leading cheese stores, knows how to entertain with cheese. They do it more often than just about anyone. One of the budget-savvy ways to entertain a foodie crowd is to make a delicious fondue. If you want to send fondue as a gift, they’ll send the real deal—not a foil packet, but the actual Gruyère, Appenzeller and Emmental cheeses, cornichons, pickled cipollini onions, Landjaeger smokey sausage links, thin-sliced Speck prosciutto and Amy’s artisan bread. Order online at MurraysCheese.com.
Classic Cheese Fondue Recipe
Here’s Murray’s own fondue recipe:
Ingredients
- 1 pound Cave Aged Gruyère
- 1 pound Swiss Emmenthaler
- 1 pound Appenzeller
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Black pepper to taste
- 1 garlic clove, halved
- Cubed crusty bread & other accompaniments, such as sausage,
steamed vegetables and cubed ham and turkey (see fondue dippers
on Page 3)
Some recipes includes Kirschwasser, cherry brandy. Murray’s recipe doesn’t include it because it is meant compensate for the lack of complexity in younger cheeses. If you’re using a young Gruyère, add a tablespoon of Kirschwasser.
If you want to try variations on this recipe, you can also add 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic, fresh-grated nutmeg or 1/2 cup chopped sautéed mushrooms.
Preparation
- Coarsely grate the cheese. In medium pot, toss cheese together with cornstarch. Place the pot over medium heat and add the wine and lemon juice.
- When hot, add a handful of the cheese mixture at a time, stirring until melted. Add black pepper to taste.
- If serving in a fondue pot, rub the fondue pot with cut sides of garlic cloves and discard garlic. Set it on its stand over a low flame and pour the melted fondue in.
- Serve with crusty bread cubes, Speck, cornichons and steamed or raw veggies.
What’s the difference between Appenzeller, Emmenthaler and Gruyère? Each contributes a different flavor and texture to the blend. Read more about them on the next page.
Continue To Page 2: The Types Of Swiss Cheese In This Recipe
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