Mastering The Art Of Fondue Seasoning

Fondue is a quintessential Swiss dish that is perfect for a cosy get-together with friends or a date night. It is a combination of cheese, wine, and seasonings heated until they turn into a melted cheesy dip. The traditional Swiss cheese fondue is a blend of firm, mountain-style cheeses like Gruyere, Emmental, and Appenzeller. The best all-around cheeses for fondue are fontina, Gruyère, and gouda. The quality and types of cheeses used will have an enormous impact on the final product. The key to a good fondue is to grate the cheese, add it to the pot slowly, and stir constantly. This will ensure a smooth and creamy fondue. The wine used in the fondue should be dry and high-acid, such as Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, or an unoaked Chardonnay. The acid in the wine helps to keep the cheese mixture smooth. To add flavour to your fondue, you can use different herbs and spices like dry mustard, nutmeg, white pepper, onion, garlic, Italian spices, or tomato paste.

Use a variety of cheeses

When it comes to seasoning fondue, the cheese or combination of cheeses you choose will have a significant impact on the final product. The best fondue is made with good-quality, creamy cheese that melts smoothly.

A classic Swiss fondue typically uses a blend of traditional, firm mountain-style cheeses such as Gruyère, Swiss cheese, and Appenzeller. In Switzerland, boutique cheeses are often used to make fondue. For example, the fondue at Chesery restaurant in Gstaad is made from Etivaz and Vacherin Fribourgeois. However, feel free to replace these with something interesting or local to your area. A good Swiss cheese alternative is white cheddar cheese or Emmental cheese.

For a classic Swiss cheese fondue, a mix of Gruyère and Emmental is used, but you can replace either with a local variety. A 50:50 mix of these two cheeses is used in Fondue Neuchâtel, the basic, traditional fondue recipe that gets its name from a city in the Vaud region of Switzerland.

Other good options for fondue include Fontina, Gouda, Comté, Emmentaler, Raclette, and Vacherin. Fontina, Gruyère, and Gouda are the best all-around cheeses for fondue. If you're unsure, use equal amounts of these three. Cheddar fondue will work, but its flavour will be less traditional. In this case, a more traditional cheese like Gruyère can be mixed with the cheddar.

Add wine to keep it smooth

The wine you add to your fondue plays a crucial role in keeping it smooth and creamy. Its acidity helps prevent the sauce from clumping or breaking, so it's important to use a good-quality wine—one that you'd be happy to drink with dinner.

For a fondue, you should opt for a dry, high-acid white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, or an unoaked Chardonnay. This will also help to cut through the richness of the cheese. If you don't want to use alcohol, you can substitute the wine with unsalted chicken or vegetable stock.

When making your fondue, add the wine to your fondue pot or saucepan first and heat until bubbles begin to rise to the surface. Then, gradually add your cheese mixture, stirring constantly over low heat. If your fondue becomes too thick, simply stir in some more heated wine.

Use good-quality ingredients

Using good-quality ingredients is essential for a delicious fondue. The quality of the cheese, in particular, will have a significant impact on the final product. Opt for a buttery, creamy cheese that melts smoothly, such as fontina, Gruyère, or gouda. If you want a classic Swiss cheese fondue, go for a mix of traditional, firm mountain-style cheeses like Gruyère, Swiss cheese, and gouda.

When it comes to wine, choose a dry, high-acid white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, or an unoaked Chardonnay. The wine's acidity is crucial in keeping the fondue smooth and creamy. It's also worth noting that the taste of the wine will directly impact the taste of the fondue, so be sure to select a wine that you would enjoy drinking.

If you want to add some spice to your fondue, consider using fresh garlic, dry mustard, nutmeg, or white pepper. These ingredients can be added to the pot before the cheese or mixed directly into the cheese mixture for added flavour.

Finally, don't skimp on the dippers! Choose a variety of high-quality breads, such as French bread, sourdough, or pumpernickel, and cut them into bite-sized pieces. You can also offer an assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables, such as apples, pears, broccoli, or asparagus.

Flavour with herbs and spices

Herbs and spices are a great way to add flavour to your fondue. The traditional Swiss cheese fondue is seasoned with garlic, but you can add chopped herbs, mustard, or a swirl of toasted spices.

If you're making a cheese fondue, you can flavour it with dry mustard or Grey Poupon mustard. Nutmeg adds an earthy, nutty flavour, while white pepper is also a good option. If you like onion, you can sauté some in a frying pan until they begin to caramelize, then add your wine and lemon mixture, strain out the onions, and pour the mixture into your fondue pot before adding your cheese.

Garlic is another great addition to cheese fondue. You can use fresh garlic on the inside of your pot before adding the cheese, or add a pinch of powdered garlic to your cheese for extra flavour. You can also add a diced clove of fresh garlic to your sautéed onion and wine mixture, then strain before transferring to your fondue pot.

For an Italian flavour, mix Italian spices and tomato paste into your fondue. You can also add the onion and garlic mixture to this.

If you're making a meat fondue, you can infuse your broth with herbs and spices. Choose a broth that corresponds to the type of meat you are using. For example, if you're cooking chicken, a marinade in a balsamic, cilantro lime, mustard, Greek, or spicy chicken marinade can add flavour.

Serve with bread, meat, or fruit

When serving fondue, it's customary to provide an assortment of bite-sized foods for dipping. Bread is a classic choice, and you can use French bread, sourdough, Italian bread, or baguette, cut into 1-inch cubes. Sliced apples are another popular option, and you can also use pears, which can be poached in Gewürztraminer for a fancier touch.

If you want to offer some heartier options, bite-sized cubes of meat such as steak, salami, cooked ham, miniature smoked sausages, or chicken bites will be a hit. For vegetarian options, roasted zucchini, carrots, bell peppers, and asparagus are great choices.

For something a little different, pretzels—both soft and hard—are surprisingly good for dipping in fondue. And if you're feeling indulgent, cooked shrimp, crab, and lobster can add a luxurious twist to your fondue experience.

Frequently asked questions