The Melty History Of Fondue: A Swiss Delicacy

Fondue, from the French word fondre, meaning to melt, is a Swiss dish typically consisting of melted cheese and wine served in a communal pot. The earliest known recipe for the modern form of cheese fondue dates back to 1699, when it was referred to as Käss mit Wein zu kochen, or to cook cheese with wine. However, the origin of fondue is somewhat ambiguous, with roots in both the Swiss Alps and the French Rhône-Alpes region near the Swiss border. Fondue was popularized as a Swiss national dish in the 1930s by the Swiss Cheese Union as a way to increase cheese consumption and promote Swiss unity and national identity.

The Swiss Cheese Union's role in popularising fondue

The Swiss Cheese Union was a marketing and trading organisation in Switzerland that served as a cartel to control cheese production from 1914 to 1999. It was formed by cheese producers to combat the slump in exports after World War I. The union set the price of milk, limited production, and restricted the kinds of cheeses that could be made in Switzerland, with the aim of maintaining the prosperity of the cheese business.

In the 1930s, the Swiss Cheese Union played a significant role in popularising fondue by promoting it as the Swiss national dish. This was part of an intensive campaign to increase cheese consumption in Switzerland, as cheese production exceeded consumption. They created pseudo-regional recipes and marketed fondue as an Alpine specialty steeped in tradition, using iconography such as Heidi to emphasise the dish's wholesomeness and authenticity. They also launched aggressive ad campaigns featuring good-looking Swiss men and women in ski gear partying over pots of fondue. These campaigns were backed by the Swiss government and successfully boosted demand for Swiss cheese.

The Swiss Cheese Union's efforts to popularise fondue continued after World War II, with fondue sets being sent to military regiments and event organisers across Switzerland. Fondue became a symbol of Swiss unity and national identity, and it spread beyond Switzerland, gaining popularity in North America in the 1960s and 1970s.

However, by the late 1990s, the Swiss Cheese Union collapsed amid allegations of corruption and concerns over the high costs of cheese subsidies. Despite its demise, the Swiss Cheese Union's legacy in popularising fondue is undeniable, and fondue remains a beloved dish in Switzerland and beyond.

The first written recipes for fondue

The first written recipe for fondue, as we know it today, can be found in an 18th-century cookbook published in Zurich, Switzerland, under the name "Käss mit Wein zu kochen", which translates to "to cook cheese with wine". This early recipe calls for grated or cut-up cheese to be melted with wine, and for bread to be dipped in it.

Another early recipe for fondue, dating back to 1735, can be found in Vincent La Chapelle's "Cuisinier moderne". This recipe, called "Fonduë de Fromage, aux Truffes Fraiches", included eggs and cheese and was described by renowned French gastronome Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin as "nothing other than scrambled eggs with cheese".

The first written recipe for the modern cheese fondue, without eggs, was published in 1875 in the French Rhône-Alpes region near the Swiss border. This recipe included the classic combination of cheese, wine, and herbs and was presented as a Swiss national dish.

While the exact origins of fondue are somewhat unclear, it is believed to have originated in Switzerland during the 18th century as a way for farmers and villagers to make use of aged cheeses and stale bread during the winter months when fresh produce was scarce. The Swiss Cheese Union played a significant role in popularizing fondue as a Swiss national dish in the 1930s through an aggressive marketing campaign.

The origin of the word 'fondue'

The word "fondue" is borrowed from French, where it is the feminine passive past participle of the verb "fondre", meaning "to melt". The word "fondre" itself comes from the Latin "fundo", which also means "I melt".

The first attestation of the word "fondue" in French dates back to 1735, when it was used by Vincent La Chapelle in his book "Cuisinier moderne". However, at the time, the term "cheese fondue" referred to a dish composed of eggs and cheese, similar to scrambled eggs with cheese or a cheese soufflé. The first known recipe for the modern cheese fondue, without eggs, was published in 1875, and was already presented as a Swiss national dish.

The Swiss Cheese Union played a significant role in popularising fondue as Switzerland's national dish in the 1930s as a way to increase cheese consumption in the country. They also created pseudo-regional recipes as part of the "spiritual defence of Switzerland", and sent fondue sets to military regiments and event organisers across the country.

Today, fondue is not only associated with Switzerland but also with mountains and winter sports. The term "fondue" has also been generalised to other dishes where food is dipped into a communal pot of hot liquid, such as chocolate fondue and fondue bourguignonne.

The history of fondue in Geneva

Geneva is a good place to start a fondue trail, as the Swiss dish has a strong connection to French-speaking Switzerland. In the city's medieval Old Town, the distinct smell of cheese wafts out of restaurants and apartment windows during the winter. Here, fondue is almost always moitié-moitié – or half-and-half – made with gruyère and Fribourg-style vacherin (cow’s milk) cheeses. Gruyère is one of Switzerland’s most famous cheeses, originating from the town of Gruyères, set on the Alpine foothills in the canton of Fribourg. Vacherin from Fribourg is a firm cow's milk cheese with an acidic-meets-creamy-and-woodsy flavour, not unlike an Italian fontina.

For a quintessential fondue experience in Geneva, head to La Buvette des Bains, a restaurant at the Bains des Paquis, the city’s public beach and bathhouse, dating from the 1930s. Between September and April each year, the women’s changing rooms are converted into a covered restaurant where rows of communal tables and benches are flanked on either side by the lake. Walking along the dock to the restaurant, the pungent smell of cheese and burning wood is immediately apparent. Order your fondue with an assiette Valasianne, a plate of pickles, pearl onions and dried meats from Switzerland’s Valais region in the upper Rhône Valley. Hot tea or cold white wine, preferably chasselas – known locally as fendant – are the only drinks locals will pair with fondue.

Another local favourite is Les Armures. Set inside a 16th-century building, this wooden-beamed, rustic restaurant is nestled below the Hotel Les Armures, one of the city’s finest. Here the fondue is memorable. Enjoy it on the restaurant’s terrace on cool, autumn days, or inside when the air gets frigid.

The history of fondue

The first mention of fondue dates as far back as Homer’s Iliad from around 800 to 725 BC, where it was described as a mixture of goat’s cheese, wine and flour. In the late 17th century, a Swiss cookbook, Kochbuch der Anna Margaretha Gessner, makes note of cooking cheese with wine. The first recipe for cheese fondue dates to 1699, when it was referred to as ‘Käss mit Wein zu kochen’, or ‘to cook cheese with wine’.

Others say that fondue was created by peasants in the Swiss mountains as a way to use up leftover bread and cheese during the colder months when fresh produce was scarce. Modern fondue – melted cheese and wine set in a pot over an open flame – dates to the late 1800s, with roots in the French Rhône-Alpes region near the Geneva border. In the 1875 recipe, the usual cheese, wine and herbs were included, but there were no eggs.

In the 1930s, the Swiss Cheese Union declared fondue the country’s national dish. The Union trumpeted cheese fondue and the lesser-known raclette as Swiss dishes in an attempt to bolster cheese consumption and bind the country together. The Union, also known as the ‘cheese mafia’, successfully ensured that cheese fondue became part of the Swiss way of life.

The evolution of fondue recipes

The earliest known recipe for fondue, or at least something resembling the modern version, dates back to 1699. Published in Zurich, Switzerland, the recipe, titled "Käss mit Wein zu kochen", which translates to "to cook cheese with wine", calls for grated or cut-up cheese to be melted with wine, with bread to be dipped in it.

In the late 17th century, a Swiss cookbook, "Kochbuch der Anna Margaretha Gessner", also makes note of cooking cheese with wine. However, the name "cheese fondue", until the late 19th century, referred to a dish composed of eggs and cheese, as described by Vincent La Chapelle in his 1735 recipe "Fonduë de Fromage, aux Truffes Fraiches". This version was similar to scrambled eggs with cheese, with some variations including cream and truffles.

The first known recipe for the modern cheese fondue under the name "fondue", with cheese and wine but no eggs, was published in 1875 in the French Rhône-Alpes region near the Swiss border. This version included the usual cheese, wine, and herbs, but no eggs.

The Swiss Cheese Union (Schweizerische Käseunion) played a significant role in popularising fondue as Switzerland's national dish in the 1930s as a way to increase cheese consumption. They also created pseudo-regional recipes as part of the "spiritual defence of Switzerland", positioning fondue as a symbol of Swiss unity and national identity.

Over time, the term "fondue" has been generalised to refer to other dishes where food is dipped into a communal pot of hot liquid. This includes chocolate fondue, where pieces of fruit or pastry are dipped into melted chocolate, and fondue bourguignonne, where pieces of meat are cooked in hot oil or broth.

Fondue today

Today, there is no standard recipe for Swiss cheese fondue, and various blends of cheese and seasonings are used. One popular rendition is an equal blend of Gruyère and Vacherin Fribougeois, known as "moitiè-moitiè" or "half-half". Other common combinations include Gruyère with Appenzeller, or Raclette, depending on the region.

While the basic ingredients remain cheese, wine, and garlic, other add-ins such as mountain herbs, paprika, cayenne, nutmeg, mustard, and occasionally tomato coulis are also used. The bread used is always sturdy, either white or brown, cut into bite-sized chunks for dipping. Accompaniments often include potatoes, cornichon, and pickled pearl onions, and beverages such as white wine, tea, or kirsch.

Fondue remains a beloved Swiss tradition, typically enjoyed during the winter months, and has spread worldwide as a delicious and interactive dining experience.

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