Fondue's Golden Age: When Did This Dish Melt Hearts?

Fondue, a dish consisting of melted cheese served in a communal pot, is thought to have originated in 18th-century Switzerland. The first written recipes for fondue appear in 18th-century cookbooks from France and Belgium, but they call for Swiss cheese, specifically Gruyère. In 1930, the Swiss Cheese Union declared fondue the national dish of Switzerland as part of a campaign to increase cheese consumption in the country. Fondue was introduced to the US at the 1964 World's Fair in New York, sparking a food trend in the 1970s.

The origins of fondue

Fondue, from the French word "fondre", meaning "to melt", originated in Switzerland in the 18th century. It was a dish invented by peasants in the Swiss canton of Valais, a region known for its wine and cheese, as a means to make the most of limited resources during the winter months. By melting hardened cheese and dipping stale bread into it, farm families could soften the bread and make it more palatable.

The earliest written recipes for fondue can be found in 18th-century cookbooks from France and Belgium, which call for the use of Gruyère, a Swiss cheese. This establishes Switzerland as the originator of the dish, despite its rural beginnings. In fact, fondue was more frequently enjoyed by people of means and became a Swiss winter tradition.

In the 1930s, the Swiss Cheese Union, a cartel of cheese makers, launched a nationwide campaign to increase cheese consumption in Switzerland, declaring fondue as the country's national dish. This campaign continued after World War II, promoting fondue as a symbol of Swiss unity and national identity.

However, fondue remained unknown in America, the world's largest cheese market, until 1964. It was introduced at the Swiss Pavilion's Alpine restaurant during the New York World's Fair, sparking a fondue trend across the country. This popularity was not by chance but was strategically planned by Swiss cheese makers to encourage the consumption of melted cheese. Their marketing campaigns featured attractive Swiss people in ski sweaters enjoying fondue, and it quickly caught on in the United States, with home fondue sets becoming a staple for dinner parties in the 1970s.

How fondue became popular in the US

Fondue, from the French word "fondre", meaning "to melt", originated in 18th-century Switzerland. It was a meal created by farm families to make the most of their limited resources during the winter months. In 1930, the Swiss Cheese Union (Schweizerische Käseunion) started a campaign to increase cheese consumption in Switzerland, which popularised fondue. 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 was introduced to the US in 1964 at the New York World's Fair, when it was featured at the Swiss Pavilion's Alpine restaurant. Soon after, fondue restaurants began to open in New York and other cities. In the 1960s, home fondue sets and "fondue party kits" became popular. The American houseware manufacturer Dansk, for example, made fondue sets with pots for cooking over a flame and multiple forks for communal dipping.

In the 1970s, cheeses common to fondue, such as Gruyere and Emmenthaler, became more common in American groceries. Fondue parties were a popular social activity, with people dipping French bread, meats, and vegetables into cheese fondue, and fruits into chocolate fondue. Fondue sets in colours like avocado and burnt orange became common items, with some people still owning them today.

Since its peak in the 1960s and 1970s, fondue has made a few comebacks in the US, including in the 1990s, since 2010, and in the 2010s as part of a wave of '70s nostalgia.

The role of Swiss cheese makers in its popularity

The Swiss Cheese Union, a cartel of cheese makers, played a pivotal role in popularising fondue as Switzerland's national dish. In 1930, they launched a nationwide campaign to increase cheese consumption, promoting fondue as a delicious way to enjoy melted cheese. The union set milk prices, limited production, and restricted the types of cheeses Swiss producers could make. This campaign successfully established fondue as a beloved Swiss staple, enjoyed by people from all walks of life.

Fondue's roots can be traced back to 18th-century Switzerland, where farm families in the canton of Valais created this dish to make the most of their limited resources during the cold winter months. They combined leftover cheese, stale bread, and wine, creating a hearty and comforting meal. The first written recipes for fondue, featuring Swiss cheeses like Gruyère, appeared in 18th-century cookbooks from France and Belgium.

The Swiss Cheese Union's campaign in the 1930s built upon this foundation, elevating fondue to a symbol of Swiss unity and national identity. Fondue was even included in Swiss military cookbooks, solidifying its place in the country's culinary culture. After World War II, with the end of rationing, the Swiss Cheese Union resumed its campaign with renewed vigour, ensuring fondue's enduring popularity in Switzerland.

The Swiss Cheese Union's efforts didn't stop at Switzerland's borders. In 1964, fondue made its debut in the United States at the Swiss Pavilion's Alpine restaurant during the New York World's Fair. This introduction sparked a fondue craze in America, with the dish quickly becoming a trendy party theme among young Baby Boomers. The popularity of fondue in the 1970s was no accident—it was the result of a well-crafted marketing strategy by Swiss cheese makers, who sold the world on the dream of festive gatherings over pots of melted cheese.

Fondue as a social meal

Fondue is a social meal. It is eaten with long-handled forks, with diners dipping and twirling their food in a communal pot. The social nature of the meal was one of the reasons for its popularity in the 1970s, when it was a chic party theme among young baby boomers. It was also promoted heavily by Swiss cheese makers, who wanted to increase cheese consumption worldwide.

The Swiss have developed several hijinks or penalties for losing your food in the communal pot. For example, you might have to bestow a kiss on everyone at the table, or wash the dishes.

Fondue is traditionally made and served in an earthenware pot known as a caquelon. This wide, shallow pot is favoured because it heats evenly and retains heat, so the meal can be enjoyed for longer. Diners dip cubed chunks of bread, each about one inch square, into the bubbling cheese and swirl for a few seconds to coat the bread and allow it to soak up some of the cheese.

The best bite of fondue, aficionados claim, is the crusty slab of cheese that forms at the bottom of the pot during the course of the meal. This is called le religieuse or the religieuse and is reverentially scraped off and shared around the table.

Although cheese fondue is the most well-known type, there are other varieties, including fondue bourguignonne, which features hot oil instead of cheese, and chunks of meat in place of the bread, and fondue au chocolat, which consists of a pot of melted chocolate, into which pieces of fruit, pastry or other foods are dipped.

The different types of fondue

Fondue, derived from the French word "fondre", meaning "to melt", originated in 18th-century Switzerland. It was initially a peasant dish in the Swiss canton of Valais, a French canton known for its wine, cheese, and mountains. Fondue was a way for peasants to use winter ingredients as they aged – cheese, wine, and bread. Today, there are several types of fondue, including cheese fondue, oil or broth fondue, and chocolate fondue.

Cheese fondue is typically made by mixing a variety of cheeses, such as Gruyère, Emmentaler, Vacherin Fribougeois, Appenzeller, Raclette, and Comté. White wine or beer, garlic, and a touch of kirsch (a clear, cherry-flavoured brandy) are added for flavour. Bread cubes, vegetables, fruits, and meats are often dipped into the melted cheese.

Oil fondue, also known as Bourguignon fondue, involves heating oil to just below boiling and cooking meats, vegetables, or seafood in it. Broth fondue, also called Chinese fondue, is similar but uses beef broth or other types of broth instead of oil. These types of fondue are perfect for cooking raw meats, vegetables, and seafood, and the cooked foods are often served with dipping sauces.

Chocolate fondue is made by melting chocolate, sometimes with cooking cream, and dipping various fruits, cakes, or marshmallows.

In addition to these three main types of fondue, there are also some creative variations, such as peanut butter fondue, caramel fondue, and Greek fondue.

Frequently asked questions