The History Of Fondue Chinoise: Who Invented This Swiss Delight?

Fondue is a Swiss dish typically consisting of melted cheese and wine served in a communal pot. The term fondue has been generalized to other dishes in which food is dipped into a communal pot of liquid kept hot in a fondue pot. One such dish is Fondue Chinoise, or Chinese fondue, which involves hot broth served in a large pot and kept hot for dipping savoury ingredients like meat and vegetables. This lighter version of meat fondue, Fondue Court Bouillon, is said to have originated in Asia.

The first written recipes for fondue

The first recipe for a dish we’d call cheese fondue (hard cheese melted with wine, used for dipping bread) appeared at the very end of the 17th century. A 1699 book published in Zurich, under the name "Käss mit Wein zu kochen" ('to cook cheese with wine'), calls for grated or cut-up cheese to be melted with wine, and for bread to be dipped in it.

The actual modern style of cheese fondue was created in lowland Switzerland in the second half of the 19th century. While it may have been inspired by the peasant version, it was a dish for wealthy town-dwellers: Gruyere cheese, especially in the amount required for fondue, wasn’t an affordable pleasure. The first known recipe for the modern cheese fondue under the name "cheese fondue", with cheese and wine but no eggs, was published in 1875 and was already presented as a Swiss national dish.

The Swiss Cheese Union's role in popularising fondue

The Swiss Cheese Union (German: Schweizer Käseunion AG) was a cartel that controlled Switzerland's cheese production from 1914 to 1999. It was formed by cheese producers to combat the slump in exports after World War I. Switzerland remained neutral during the war, and its cheese production industry was largely unaffected, but exports suffered due to the devastation in surrounding countries.

The Swiss Cheese Union was a marketing and trading organisation that controlled cheese production by limiting it to a few varieties, mainly Gruyere and Emmental. They bought the entire production and distribution of cheese at prices set by the Swiss Federal Council and coordinated national and international marketing for these varieties.

The Union played a significant role in popularising fondue, a Swiss dish consisting of melted cheese and wine served in a communal pot. Fondue originated in the 18th century as a way for Swiss villagers to use aged cheeses and stale bread during the winter months. The Swiss Cheese Union began promoting fondue as Switzerland's national dish in the 1930s to increase cheese consumption. They launched aggressive advertising campaigns in the 1970s, 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.

Fondue became a symbol of Swiss unity and is now considered Switzerland's national dish. The Swiss Cheese Union's marketing campaigns also helped spread the popularity of fondue internationally, particularly in North America, where it gained popularity in the 1960s. The Swiss Cheese Union's efforts transformed fondue from a regional dish to a worldwide phenomenon, solidifying its place as one of the most recognisable Swiss foods.

How to make fondue

Fondue Chinoise, or "Chinese fondue", is a Swiss version of hotpot, a cooking method that originates from China. It is a popular party and family meal in Switzerland, often eaten between Christmas and New Year. It is a type of broth fondue, where raw meat and vegetables are cooked in a simmering broth and then dipped into a variety of sauces.

Ingredients:

• Meat of your choice (beef, chicken, lamb, or fish are popular options)
• Vegetables of your choice (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and onions are commonly used)
• Strong meat or vegetable bouillon
• Spices such as pepper, bay leaf, chilli, and cayenne pepper
• Sauces: classic options include mayonnaise, crème fraîche, and herb butter, but there are many variations
• Sides: salads, potato chips, rice, or French fries

Method:

• Boil the bouillon with spices and any desired vegetables (such as onions and garlic) for about an hour.
• Dip the meat into the broth and cook for a couple of minutes, or until it is cooked to your liking.
• Dip the meat and vegetables into your chosen sauces and enjoy!
• The leftover broth can be used as a soup or soup base.

Fondue Chinoise is a fun and interactive dining experience, perfect for a group of family and friends. It is a great way to bring people together and create a cosy atmosphere.

Fondue as a Swiss winter tradition

Fondue is a Swiss winter tradition that began in the 18th century as a way to use stale, aged bread and hardened cheese during the cold winter months when fresh food was scarce. Local villagers discovered that heating the cheese with wine, garlic, and herbs made it possible to dip and soften their stale bread, creating a hearty meal. This method of cooking and eating together over a warm fire became a Swiss tradition known as fondue.

The word "fondue" comes from the French word "fondre," which means "to melt." While the concept of melting cheese may have ancient origins, with similar dishes traced back to Ancient Greece, the Swiss version of fondue is distinct. It is made with hardened cheese, typically grated or cut into small pieces, and stale bread, dipped into a communal pot of melted cheese. The earliest known recipe for this modern form of cheese fondue is from a 1699 book published in Zurich, under the name "Käss mit Wein zu kochen," which translates to "cook cheese with wine."

In the 1930s, the Swiss Cheese Union (Schweizerische Käseunion) promoted fondue as the national dish of Switzerland to increase cheese consumption. Fondue was also popularised in North America in the 1960s, particularly at the 1964 New York World's Fair, where it was featured at the Swiss Pavilion's Alpine restaurant.

Today, fondue remains a beloved Swiss tradition, typically enjoyed during the winter months. It is considered a comforting, family-style meal, often served in a communal earthenware pot known as a "caquelon." While there is no standard recipe, traditional Swiss fondue typically includes grated or melted cheese, wine, and garlic, with additional ingredients such as mountain herbs, paprika, cayenne, nutmeg, mustard, and occasionally tomato coulis. The bread used for dipping is usually sturdy, either white or brown, cut into bite-sized chunks. Accompaniments may include potatoes, cornichon, and pickled pearl onions, and typical beverages served alongside include white wine, tea, and occasionally, a glass of kirsch.

Fondue is particularly popular in traditional or rural areas of Switzerland, in both French and German-speaking regions. It is a symbol of Swiss unity and national identity, bringing people together over a warm, comforting meal during the cold winter months.

Broth fondue, or Fondue Chinoise

Technically, this means that Chinese hot pot, Japanese Shabu-Shabu, and Thailand's Thai Suki are all forms of fondue. In Switzerland, broth fondue is a popular Christmas dish, with meat and vegetables boiled in broth and often paired with various sauces and pickles.

The term "fondue" has been generalized to dishes beyond the traditional Swiss cheese fondue since the 1950s. The extension of the name "fondue" to other dishes is mainly attributed to New York-based Swiss restaurateur Konrad Egli. The main characteristic that tends to group a dish into the fondue classification is the manner in which it is served: communally, with various ingredients dipped into a pot of hot liquid.

The earliest recipe for the modern form of cheese fondue, involving cooking cheese with wine and dipping bread into it, comes from a 1699 book published in Zurich. The name "cheese fondue" was used for a dish made with eggs and cheese, similar to scrambled eggs, until the late 19th century. The actual modern style of cheese fondue, without eggs, was created in lowland Switzerland in the second half of the 19th century. It was a dish for wealthy town-dwellers, as the amount of cheese required for fondue was expensive.

Fondue was popularized as a Swiss national dish by the Swiss Cheese Union in the 1930s to increase cheese consumption. After World War II, the Swiss Cheese Union continued its marketing campaign, promoting fondue as a symbol of Swiss unity and national identity. Fondue was introduced to America at the 1964 New York World's Fair, featured at the Swiss Pavilion's Alpine restaurant.

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