The Melty Truth: Fondue's National Origin Story

Fondue, a dish of melted cheese, is synonymous with Switzerland. The Swiss national dish, it is a winter staple, often served in homes and restaurants across the country. The word 'fondue' comes from the French 'fondre', meaning 'to melt'. It is thought that fondue originated in Switzerland in the 18th century as a way for families to make the most of limited resources during the winter months. By melting cheese with wine, garlic and herbs, stale bread could be softened and made more palatable.

Switzerland's national dish

Fondue is widely considered to be Switzerland's national dish. It is a melting pot of flavours and aromas, much like the country itself, which is a mix of cultures. Fondue, derived from the French word 'fondre', meaning 'to melt', originated in Switzerland in the 18th century. It was a way for families to make the most of limited resources during the winter months. By melting cheese with wine, garlic, and herbs, stale bread became edible again. This method of cooking and eating together over one pot became a Swiss winter tradition.

The first written recipes for fondue appeared in 18th-century cookbooks from France and Belgium, but they used Gruyère, a Swiss cheese. In the 1930s, the Swiss Cheese Union promoted fondue as the Swiss national dish, a symbol of unity and national identity. After World War II, fondue was introduced to America at the 1964 New York World's Fair.

Fondue is traditionally made and served in an earthenware pot called a caquelon, which retains heat. The most common cheese combinations include grated Gruyère, Vacherin Fribourgeois, and/or Appenzeller cheese, melted with white wine. Diners dip small cubes of bread on long-handled forks into the pot. If a piece of bread falls into the fondue, there is usually a playful penalty, like washing the dishes or running barefoot through the snow!

Fondue is enjoyed in homes and restaurants throughout Switzerland, particularly in rural or traditional areas. It is a communal dish, often shared with family and friends. While fondue is now considered Switzerland's national dish, other traditional dishes like muesli, rösti, and raclette are also popular and reflect the country's diverse culinary landscape.

Originated in the 18th century

Fondue, which comes from the French word "fondre", meaning "to melt", originated in 18th-century Switzerland. It was a means for farm families to stretch their limited resources during the winter months. As bread was only baked occasionally in Alpine farm villages, any bread available in the winter was usually stale. By dipping the stale bread into a mixture of melted cheese, wine, garlic and herbs, the bread was softened and became more edible.

The first written recipes for fondue appear in 18th-century cookbooks published in France and Belgium. However, they call for Gruyère, a Swiss cheese, so the Swiss are rightfully credited as the originators of the dish. Fondue was enjoyed by people of means and was not limited to the farmhouse and the peasant class. In the 1930s, the Swiss Cheese Union popularised fondue as part of a campaign to increase cheese consumption in Switzerland. After World War II, the Swiss Cheese Union resumed its campaign, promoting fondue as the Swiss national dish and a symbol of Swiss unity and national identity.

Fondue is traditionally made and served in an earthenware pot known as a caquelon. Diners skewer cubes of bread into the bubbling cheese and swirl it for a few seconds to coat the bread and allow it to soak up the cheese. It is considered bad form to lose your bread in the pot, and the Swiss will jokingly assign a penalty like washing the dishes to anyone who does so. The crust that forms at the bottom of the pot is called the religieuse and is considered a delicacy.

Although the Swiss popularised fondue as their national dish, similar dishes exist in cultures around the world. For example, Chinese hot pots and Japanese shabu-shabu are communal dishes where diners cook chunks of meat, seafood or vegetables in a pot of bubbling oil or steaming broth.

A melting pot of flavours

Fondue, from the French word "fondre", meaning "to melt", is a Swiss dish that originated in the 18th century as a means for farm families to stretch their limited resources during the winter months. It is a melting pot of flavours and aromas, with stale bread being dipped into a mixture of melted cheese, wine, and herbs. This fondue tradition became a Swiss winter staple, enjoyed by people of all classes.

The first written recipes for fondue appeared in 18th-century cookbooks published in France and Belgium, but they called for Gruyère, a Swiss cheese. The Swiss Cheese Union played a significant role in the widespread popularisation of fondue in the 1930s, promoting it as the Swiss national dish.

While cheese fondue is the most well-known type, there are several variations of fondue, including meat fondue, broth fondue, and chocolate fondue. Each type offers a unique blend of flavours and ingredients, catering to different tastes and preferences.

In Switzerland, fondue is traditionally made and served in an earthenware pot called a "caquelon", which heats evenly and retains heat. The basic ingredients include cheese, wine, and garlic, but various add-ins such as mountain herbs, paprika, cayenne, nutmeg, mustard, and tomato coulis can be added. The bread used for dipping is sturdy and can be either white or brown, cut into bite-sized chunks. Accompaniments often include potatoes, cornichon, and pickled pearl onions, and beverages like white wine, tea, or kirsch, a cherry brandy.

Although the exact roots of modern cheese fondue are somewhat ambiguous, blurred along the French-Swiss border, fondue has become synonymous with Swiss culture and cuisine. It is a communal dining experience, bringing people together around a bubbling pot of melted cheese and creating a "good mood", as the Swiss Cheese Union's slogan aptly described it.

Best enjoyed in winter

Fondue, Switzerland's national dish, is best enjoyed in winter. The dish originated in 18th-century Switzerland as a means for farm families to stretch their limited resources during the cold winter months. With some remaining cheese, stale bread, and a dash of wine, families could gather around the hearth and enjoy a warm meal.

Fondue, derived from the French word "fondre", meaning "to melt", is a dish consisting of melted cheese, usually Swiss cheese and Gruyère, flavoured with white wine and kirsch. The traditional cheeses for making fondue are Swiss cheeses, mainly Emmental and Gruyère, but different regions in Switzerland use a variety of other cheeses, such as Vacherin, Appenzeller, and Sbrinz. The bread used is always sturdy and can be either white or brown, cut into bite-sized chunks for dipping. Accompaniments often include potatoes, cornichon, and pickled pearl onions.

The preparation of fondue involves melting the cheese with wine, cognac, or brandy, and serving it communally from a ceramic pot, known as a caquelon, kept warm from below. Diners skewer cubes of bread on long forks and dip them into the bubbling cheese. The best bite, according to fondue enthusiasts, is the crusty slab of cheese that forms at the bottom of the pot during the meal, called le religieuse or the religieuse, which is reverentially scraped off and shared.

In the winter months, a rich, buttery fondue enjoyed in a mountaintop village blanketed by snow or on a Zurich terrace, with guests wrapped in woolly blankets, is a magical experience. For a quintessential fondue experience, head to La Buvette des Bains, a restaurant at the Bains des Paquis in Geneva. Between September and April each year, the women's changing rooms are converted into a covered restaurant with communal tables and benches, offering one of the best fondues in the city. The pungent smell of cheese and burning wood fills the air, and the fondue is served with copious amounts of local sparkling white wine and garlic.

How to cook fondue

Fondue is a Swiss dish that originated in the 18th century as a means of feeding families with limited access to fresh food during the winter months. It is a social meal, where diners cook their food together over a single pot.

To make a classic cheese fondue, you will need the following ingredients:

• Wine
• Cheese (popular choices include Gruyère and Emmental)
• Kirsch or schnapps
• Cornflour
• Bread, boiled potatoes, vegetable crudités and cornichons, to serve

You will also need a heavy-based pan and a fondue pot, also known as a caquelon.

• Pour the wine into the pan and heat until steaming.
• Add the cheese a handful at a time, whisking between each addition until all the cheese has been added.
• Continue to stir until everything is fully melted, smooth and creamy.
• Mix the cornflour with the kirsch or schnapps in a small bowl, then stir this into the cheese mixture.
• Continue to cook over a low heat for a further minute.
• If you like, rub a clove of garlic around the inside of the fondue pot.
• Carefully pour the cheese mixture into the fondue pot and place over a flame.
• Serve immediately with crusty bread, boiled potatoes, vegetable crudités and cornichons for dipping.

Fondue can also be made with meat, seafood, or chocolate. When preparing meat or seafood fondue, it is important to use a metal fondue pot and heat the oil, broth or wine to 375º F before adding the food. For chocolate fondue, choose a chocolate with a cocoa solid content above 50% and heat slowly over a double boiler before transferring to the fondue pot.

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