The Perfect Swiss Fondue: What To Eat Alongside

Fondue is a Swiss delicacy, a national icon and a festive ritual with its own customs and rules of etiquette. The Swiss take their fondue seriously, and it's important to follow some fondue etiquette when partaking in this gooey, savoury delicacy. The Swiss can be rather particular when it comes to how fondue should be served and eaten. The Swiss love to say La fondue crée la bonne humeur, which means fondue is good and creates a good mood. But what do the Swiss eat with their fondue?

Bread is the main accompaniment

Bread is the traditional and most popular food to eat with fondue. It is also the main accompaniment to fondue in Switzerland. The Swiss are sticklers for tradition, so it's not surprising that they have habits and conventions related to the preparation and eating of fondue. To the Swiss, fondue isn't just about dunking a bit of bread into a pot of melted cheese. It's also a kind of festive ritual with its own customs and rules of etiquette.

The bread used for fondue should be sturdy, such as a baguette with a hearty crust, or Swiss weizenbrot. The bread is often mi-blanc, a white, oval bread with a relatively thin yet sturdy crust. It is supposed to be day-old to enhance its sturdiness, but this isn't necessary. It is usually served cut into thick slices rather than cubes.

When eating fondue, it is customary to twirl the cheese-covered bread to keep the table tidy. You should also twirl the bread to allow the excess cheese to drip off before eating it. It is considered bad manners to tap or scrape the bread on the side of the pot.

There are also rules about how to use your fondue fork. To remove the bread from the fork, you should use your front teeth only. Your lips and tongue should never touch the tines of the fork.

If you drop your bread in the fondue pot, you may have to buy a round of drinks, sing a song, or kiss the other guests!

Boiled potatoes, charcuterie, and cornichons are also served

While bread is the main side dish for fondue, boiled potatoes, charcuterie, and cornichons or other pickles can also be served. In fact, some people prefer potatoes to bread, finding them lighter and easier to stomach.

If you're serving potatoes with fondue, it's recommended to use a fondue made with Vacherin, a cheese from the canton of Fribourg.

Charcuterie is a good option for those who don't want to drink wine or schnapps with their fondue, as it's considered customary to have one of these drinks when eating fondue with bread.

Cornichons are small, tart pickles that are often served as a side dish in Switzerland. They add a crunchy, acidic element to the meal and can help cut through the richness of the fondue.

The Swiss say no to drinking cold beverages with fondue

The Swiss take their fondue seriously. It's a national icon and a dish that is steeped in tradition and ritual. So, when it comes to what to drink with fondue, the Swiss have some strong opinions.

The Swiss believe that you should only drink three beverages with fondue: dry and acidic white wine, kirsch (a type of cherry brandy), or a warm herbal tea (tisane). They insist that drinking anything cold with fondue, such as water, juice, or beer, will cause the melted cheese to coagulate in your stomach and lead to indigestion. This belief is not supported by science, but if you want to avoid disapproving looks from your Swiss dining companions, it's best to stick to the recommended beverages.

The Swiss take this tradition seriously, and it's considered an important part of fondue etiquette. Fondue is more than just a meal in Switzerland; it's a festive ritual with its own customs and rules. So, if you're planning on enjoying some fondue in Switzerland, make sure you follow the local customs and avoid drinking anything cold with your fondue.

In addition to the drinks already mentioned, some Swiss also enjoy a shot of kirsch during or after the meal, as it is believed to aid digestion and enhance the effects of the alcohol in the wine. Before drinking, it is customary to clink glasses with each person at the table while maintaining eye contact. This is an important Swiss custom, and skipping it or avoiding eye contact is considered rude.

So, there you have it: the Swiss say no to drinking cold beverages with fondue. It's considered impolite and may even lead to some digestive discomfort. Stick to the recommended drinks, and you'll be sure to enjoy your fondue like a true Swiss.

The best type of cheese for Swiss fondue

Swiss fondue is a national icon throughout Switzerland. It is a delicious combination of fine Swiss cheese, wine, and a communal atmosphere. Fondue is enjoyed in alpine restaurants, during après-ski, or in the comfort of home. It is a dish best shared with family and friends.

The Swiss Cheese Union declared fondue the country's national dish in an effort to boost both exports and domestic cheese sales during the interwar period. Fondue featured heavily at the Swiss pavilion at the 1964 World's Fair in New York, and since then, fondue restaurants, serving sets, and parties have become commonplace throughout North America and Europe.

The most traditional cheeses for Swiss fondue are Gruyère and Fribourg Vacherin. Other common cheeses used are Emmental, Appenzeller, French Beaufort, and Comté. The Swiss will sometimes use spreadable cheeses like Laughing Cow as it helps with the consistency, but purists scoff at this.

The classic Swiss fondue recipe calls for a simple 'half and half' ratio of shredded Gruyère and Emmental cheese melted with white wine. Melting the cheese in grated form ensures the cheese melts evenly without lumps or burnt bits. To help keep the melted cheese mixture smooth, a dry white wine is used. A splash of lemon juice can also be added if more acid is needed. To help stabilise the cheese and prevent it from splitting, starches such as corn or potato starch are often added to the fondue, though these are not traditional. Once the cheese has completely melted and reached a smooth consistency, a splash of kirsch liqueur is added to finish the fondue.

A fondue pot (or caquelon in French) is essential for making Swiss fondue. Each diner should have their own fondue fork and plate to handle the items they will dip into the cheese. Swiss weizenbrot is common, but any good baguette with a hearty crust will suffice.

Fondue etiquette

The Swiss can be rather particular when it comes to how fondue should be served and eaten. Here are some tips to follow:

• Use the right tools and materials for dipping. Bread is the main accompaniment, although boiled potatoes, charcuterie, and cornichons or other pickles can also be served. Veggies, fruit, and boiled eggs are not traditionally used in Swiss fondue.
• Watch how you stir your bread. It is customary to stir in a clockwise or figure-eight motion to keep the cheese mixed properly. Do not dip your bread in the pot while someone else is already swirling. When you pull your bread out of the cheese, twirl it at least three times to allow all the excess to fall back into the pot. Do not tap or scrape your bread on the side of the pot and absolutely refrain from double-dipping!
• Maintain the right heat and consistency. Fondue should be kept warm enough to keep the cheese at a smooth consistency, but not hot enough that it burns. If you maintain the right temperature and stir the mixture regularly, you will be rewarded with a thin crust of toasted cheese at the bottom of the pot. This is called Grossmutter in German, or La Religieuse (the nun) in French, and it is considered the most savoury part of the fondue. Cut this piece out and make sure to share it between those at the table.
• Choose the right beverage. Traditionalists insist that only dry and acidic white wine, kirsch, or warm herbal tea should be consumed as they supposedly aid in digestion. Beer, carbonated drinks, and cold water are definitely to be avoided as they are believed to have the opposite effect.
• Select the appropriate dessert. Cheese fondue should never be followed by chocolate fondue. Instead, it is customary to eat acidic fruits, like fresh pineapple, to help digest all that creamy cheese.

The best drinks to pair with Swiss fondue

If you're planning on indulging in a pot of Swiss fondue, it's worth knowing the Swiss traditions and customs that go with it. The Swiss are sticklers for tradition, and that includes the food and drink they consume with their fondue.

The drinks

The Swiss tend to have strong opinions about what to drink with fondue. The standard drink is a dry, acidic white wine, often made from the chasselas grape. A blanc de la Côte from Vaud or a Fendant from Valais are popular choices. The alcohol in the wine is said to aid digestion, and this effect is thought to be enhanced by drinking a shot of kirsch (cherry brandy) during or after the meal.

If you don't fancy alcohol, the recommended drink is hot herbal tea. Many Swiss believe that drinking cold drinks with fondue will cause the cheese to coagulate in your stomach, leading to digestive issues. While this belief has been disproven, you may still get some disapproving looks from your Swiss dining companions if you opt for a soft drink or beer.

The customs

Before you take your first sip, remember to clink glasses with each person at the table, making eye contact. It is considered rude to skip someone or avoid eye contact, or to let your arm intersect with someone else's as you clink.

The rules

There are also several rules to follow when eating fondue. Firstly, always stir the fondue in a clockwise direction or in a figure-eight pattern to keep the cheese homogenized. Secondly, avoid double-dipping and always make sure your bread is secure on your fork. Thirdly, use your front teeth only to remove the bread from the fondue fork, keeping your lips and tongue away from the tines. Finally, don't forget to scrape the browned cheese from the bottom of the pot at the end of the meal – this delicacy is called "la religieuse" and is considered a treat.

Frequently asked questions