Cheese Fondue: Alcoholic Add-Ins For A Tasty Twist

Fondue is a Swiss dish that combines warm cheese with wine and bread. While the classic recipe includes alcohol, it can be replaced with non-alcoholic alternatives. The alcohol in the fondue helps to reduce the risk of curdling and prevents the fondue from becoming stringy by breaking up the protein chains in the cheese. However, the alcohol is not essential, and there are several substitutions that can be made to achieve a similar effect.

Non-alcoholic wine or light beer can be used as a substitute for alcoholic wine or beer in fondue. Alternatively, milk or a mixture of milk and chicken/vegetable stock can be used. Lemon juice can also be added to the fondue to help achieve the desired consistency and prevent curdling.

Fondue is typically made with one or more varieties of strong cheese, such as Gruyère, Emmental, Asiago, Brie, Cheddar, or Parmesan. The cheese is combined with an alcoholic spirit, spices, and bread or potatoes for dipping. It is important to note that the fondue should never be allowed to boil, as too much heat will make it runny.

White wine

When making a cheese fondue, it is important to grate the cheese rather than chop it, as grated cheese melts faster and more evenly, leading to a smoother fondue. The cheese should then be tossed with cornstarch to help thicken the fondue and prevent the cheese from clumping. The wine should be added to the fondue slowly, with a small amount added at a time, and the mixture should be stirred constantly. This will ensure that the fondue is smooth and buttery.

If your fondue is too thick and sticky, you can add a bit more warm white wine to thin it out. If it is too fluid, some cornstarch mixed with wine or lemon juice will act as a binder. If the cheese and oil begin to separate, the fondue can be reheated over medium heat, and vigorous stirring along with a mixture of white wine, cornstarch, and lemon juice will help to bring the fondue back together.

Beer

When making a beer cheese fondue, it's best to use a beer with low bitterness, bready/biscuity notes, and herbal, earthy aromas. Styles such as pilsner lagers, dunkel lagers, doppelbock lagers, saisons, and wheat ales are good choices. It's important to avoid sour beers as they can cause the fondue to curdle.

For the cheese, a combination of Swiss cheeses such as Gruyere, Emmenthaler, and Vacherin is traditional, but other options such as Gouda, Cheddar, and Brie can also work well.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups shredded cheese (Gruyere, Emmenthaler, Cheddar, or other melting cheese)
• 1/4 cup flour (or cornstarch)
• 1 cup low-bitterness beer
• 1/3 cup heavy cream (at room temperature)
• Grated garlic or onion (optional)
• Fresh or dry herbs (to taste)

Instructions:

• Toss the shredded cheese with the flour until well coated.
• Pour the beer into a cold pot and bring it to a low simmer over medium heat.
• If desired, add grated garlic or onion and/or herbs to the beer.
• After the beer has simmered for a few minutes, add the heavy cream and simmer for a few more minutes.
• Remove from the heat and gradually add the cheese mixture, stirring gently until fully melted.
• Transfer to a heated fondue pot and serve with bread cubes, soft pretzel bits, vegetables, or meat.

Feel free to add additional seasonings or flavourings to suit your taste. For example, dry mustard, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper, or smoked paprika can add a nice kick to your fondue. You can also experiment with different types of beer to find the flavour you like best.

Fruit brandy

A classic fondue is made from one or more varieties of strong cheese and an alcoholic spirit. Fruit brandy is a good choice for this, as it is an important component of the dish that the bread is dipped into. Fruit brandy can also be used to replace the traditional choice of white wine, as it serves the same purpose of keeping the fondue smooth and runny by decreasing the protein size of the cheese.

A good rule of thumb is to plan for 200g of cheese and an equal amount of bread or potatoes per person. For every 400g of cheese, 150ml of white wine or a different variety of alcoholic beverage is needed. If you are expecting hungry guests, you can double the amount of cheese but use slightly less than double the amount of white wine to create twice as much fondue. This is because the alcohol has to evaporate from the open fondue pot, and a larger amount of fondue mixture, including the alcohol component, will mean more wine remains in the cheese, which will affect the taste.

If you are using a different fondue pot to the one recommended, it may be difficult to give a precise wine-to-cheese ratio for larger fondues. If in doubt, simply give it a try and omit the optional kirschwasser (a clear, colourless brandy) if necessary.

Cider

To make a cider fondue, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Next, stir in hard cider and vinegar and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes. In a separate bowl, toss shredded cheese with cornstarch until well-coated. Add the cheese to the saucepan one handful at a time, whisking between each addition until the cheese is melted. Continue adding cheese until the fondue is thick and creamy. If the sauce becomes too thick, add more cider a tablespoon at a time. If the sauce is too thin, add more cheese.

This cider fondue is best served warm, in a fondue pot over a chafing fuel burner, with crusty bread and fresh apples. It can also be served with pretzels, tomatoes, tater tots, and more. This fondue is a great interactive dish to serve as an appetizer or a centerpiece, accompanied by glasses of cold cider.

Kirsch

To make a kirsch cheese fondue, rub the base of a pan with a clove of garlic, then add some dry white wine and heat until gently simmering. Add a mixture of grated Gruyère and Emmentaler cheese gradually, stirring all the time. Once all the cheese has been incorporated and the mixture has thickened, stir in the kirsch. Serve with crusty bread to dip.

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