What is Fondue?

Although there are several variations, the word fondue primarily refers to a dish consisting of melted cheeses combined with wine, cognac, or brandy. It is served from a ceramic pot that is continuously heated from below to keep the cheese melted, and is eaten by dipping pieces of bread on the ends of long forks into the cheese.

Fondue originated in Switzerland as a way to use hardened cheese and stale bread during the winter months, so the traditional cheeses used for its preparation are Swiss cheeses, mainly Emmental and Gruyère. The name comes from the French verb fondre, which means "to melt".

Different regions in Switzerland, as well as France and Alpine Italy, use various cheeses, including Vacherin, Appenzeller, and Sbrinz in Switzerland, Comté, Beaufort, and Reblochon in France, and Fontina in Italy.

That said, dishes similar to fondue exist in cultures around the world, such as Chinese hot pots and Japanese shabu-shabu, where diners cook pieces of meat, seafood, or vegetables in a communal pot of boiling oil or broth. Mexican queso fundido is served with tortillas instead of bread, while bagna càuda in Italy relies on pureed anchovies for texture and flavor and is typically served with vegetables.

As you can imagine, cheese is far from the only type of fondue. Fondue bourguignonne is a variation with hot oil instead of cheese and pieces of meat instead of bread. The meat, first skewered on a long fork, is dipped into the hot oil, where it cooks, and is served with various dipping sauces like Béarnaise, aioli, and horseradish sauce. Vegetables and seafood are also sometimes served with hot oil fondue.

Another popular variation of fondue is chocolate fondue, which consists of a pot of melted chocolate into which pieces of fruit, pastries, or almost anything are dipped. Popular items for dipping in chocolate fondue include pretzels, marshmallows, vanilla cookies, Oreos, strawberries, bananas, apples, and even cake cubes. The possibilities here are endless.

Many Asian cuisines include some version of the hot pot, whose earliest versions appeared in China and predate fondue by about 2000 years. But the principle is the same: a communal pot filled with boiling broth, into which ingredients like meat, seafood, eggs, vegetables, and noodles are dipped until cooked, and then eaten. The meat must be sliced thinly when cooked in broth, unlike meat cubes that can be cooked in hot oil.

The key to successfully preparing fondue is the smooth melting of the cheese without separation. This is achieved by adding starch, such as cornstarch, which acts as an emulsifier.

Traditional cheese fondue is made with a brandy called Kirschwasser (or simply Kirsch), which is made from cherries. You can substitute most brandies or cognacs with Kirsch, but do not use cherry liqueur, as it will be too sweet.

Traditionally, fondue is prepared in a ceramic pot on the stove and then transferred to the table, where it is kept warm by a small candle or similar heat source underneath.

To prepare it, combine the cornstarch and Kirsch and stir to form a paste. Then add a cup of wine and let the mixture simmer lightly before adding grated cheese in small pieces, stirring until fully melted before adding more. Season with salt, black pepper, and nutmeg, and serve warm and melted.

Besides bread, anything that tastes good with melted cheese will make an excellent dipper for fondue. Keep in mind that some foods are easier to skewer on a long fork than others, but don’t let that stop you. The only condition is that, unlike hot oil fondue, cheese fondue does not cook the food you dip into it. So the meats should already be cooked.

Examples:

• Potato or tortilla chips
• Pretzels
• Hot dogs and cooked sausages
• Pieces of turkey, ham, or roast beef
• Raw vegetables (like broccoli or cauliflower, cherry tomatoes, carrots, etc.)
• Baked potatoes
• Cooked shrimp
• Mushrooms
• Meatballs