Meat Fondue's Cultural Roots: A Historical Foodie Adventure

Fondue, from the French word fondre, meaning to melt, originated in Switzerland in the 18th century as a way to use hardened cheese and stale bread during the winter months. The Swiss dish typically consists of melted cheese and wine served in a communal pot. In the middle ages, meat fondue also emerged in the French region of Burgundy, where vineyard workers would cook pieces of meat in a pot of boiling oil in the fields. This type of fondue is called Fondue Bourguignonne, named after the vineyard workers of Burgundy.

Meat fondue's French origins

Meat fondue, or Fondue Bourguignonne, has its origins in the French region of Burgundy. During the Middle Ages, workers in the vineyards of Burgundy would be out in the fields all day and unable to come in for a meal. A solution was devised: a pot of boiling oil placed in the vineyard, allowing workers to cook pieces of meat during their breaks.

The name Fondue Bourguignonne credits those vineyard workers of Burgundy. Fondue itself is derived from the French verb fondre, meaning "to melt". The word's first recorded usage was in French in 1735, in Vincent La Chapelle's Cuisinier moderne.

In the 1950s, the term "fondue" began to be used more generally to refer to dishes in which food is dipped into a communal pot of liquid kept hot in a fondue pot. Konrad Egli, a Swiss restaurateur, introduced Fondue Bourguignonne at his Chalet Suisse restaurant in New York in 1956.

The Swiss Cheese Union

In the 1950s, the term "fondue" began to be used more broadly to refer to other dishes where food is dipped into a communal pot of liquid. This expansion of the term included meat fondue, or "fondue bourguignonne", where pieces of meat are cooked in hot oil or broth. This variation has its own interesting history, originating in the French region of Burgundy in the Middle Ages. At that time, vineyard workers spent all day in the fields and couldn't come inside for meals. They came up with the idea of having a pot of boiling oil in the vineyard, where they could cook pieces of meat during their breaks.

While the Swiss Cheese Union focused primarily on traditional cheese fondue, the broader concept of fondue has continued to evolve and spread globally. Today, fondue is enjoyed in various forms around the world, with meat fondues, chocolate fondues, and more, all inspired by the Swiss tradition popularised by the Swiss Cheese Union.

The Swiss popularise fondue

The Swiss popularised fondue in the 1930s as part of a campaign by the Swiss Cheese Union (Schweizerische Käseunion) to increase cheese consumption in Switzerland. The Swiss Cheese Union also created pseudo-regional recipes as part of the "spiritual defence of Switzerland". Fondue was promoted as a Swiss national dish and a symbol of Swiss unity and national identity.

After World War II and the end of rationing, the Swiss Cheese Union continued its marketing campaign, sending fondue sets to military regiments and event organisers across Switzerland. Fondue was also promoted to Americans at the Swiss Pavilion's Alpine restaurant at the 1964 New York World's Fair. This helped to popularise fondue in North America in the 1960s.

In the meantime, fondue continued to be promoted aggressively in Switzerland, with slogans like "La fondue crée la bonne humeur" ("fondue creates a good mood") and (in 1981, in Swiss German) "Fondue isch guet und git e gueti Luune" ("fondue is good and creates a good mood"), abbreviated as "figugegl".

Today, fondue is enjoyed and found in homes and at restaurants throughout Switzerland, though it is most common in traditional or rural areas in both French and German-speaking regions. Fondue is rarely served in elegant restaurants, as the aroma wafting throughout the establishment would overpower the more subtle flavours of other diners' food.

Fondue in America

Fondue was popularized in North America in the 1960s. In 1964, Americans were introduced to the Swiss dish at the Swiss Pavilion's Alpine restaurant at the New York World's Fair. Fondue became popular in the United States in the 1960s and 1970s, along with other foods made in chafing dishes.

Konrad Egli, a Swiss restaurateur, introduced fondue bourguignonne at his Chalet Suisse restaurant in New York in 1956. In the mid-1960s, he invented chocolate fondue as part of a promotion for Toblerone chocolate. Chocolate fondue, or dessert fondue, was also an American invention of the mid-20th century.

Today, fondue restaurants can be found across the United States, from New York City to Portland, Oregon. These restaurants serve a variety of fondue options, including cheese fondue, meat fondue, and chocolate fondue. Some restaurants also offer unique fondue creations, such as a ruby-port fondue swirled with balsamic glaze and blueberries.

Fondue is also enjoyed in American homes, with fondue sets sold as convenience food in supermarkets. Fondue is often associated with community and dining together, making it a fun and social dining experience.

Broth fondue's Chinese origins

Broth fondue, also known as Fondue Court Bouillon or Fondue Chinoise, is said to have originated in China. The story goes that a Swiss man visiting China was served a dish similar to fondue, but with broth instead of the traditional melted cheese. Upon his return to Switzerland, he shared his discovery with Swiss chefs, and thus, the Fondue Court Bouillon was born.

Broth fondue is a lighter version of the traditional meat fondue, which has its roots in the French region of Burgundy during the Middle Ages. In Burgundy, vineyard workers spent the entire day in the fields and couldn't come inside to eat a meal. They came up with the idea of having a pot of boiling oil in the vineyard, allowing workers to cook pieces of meat during their breaks. This type of fondue is called Fondue Bourguignonne, crediting the vineyard workers of Burgundy.

In the broader history of fondue, the term has been generalized to refer to various dishes in which food is dipped into a communal pot of liquid kept hot in a fondue pot. This includes chocolate fondue, where pieces of fruit or pastry are dipped into melted chocolate, and Fondue Bourguignonne, the meat fondue with oil or broth. The extension of the name "fondue" to these other dishes is mainly attributed to New York-based Swiss restaurateur Konrad Egli in the 1950s.

However, the earliest known recipe for modern fondue, in its original form of cheese fondue, can be traced back to a 1699 book published in Zurich, Switzerland. The recipe, titled "Käss mit Wein zu kochen" or "to cook cheese with wine," calls for grated or cut-up cheese to be melted with wine, and bread to be dipped into it. Fondue, derived from the French word "fondre" meaning "to melt", became a Swiss winter tradition, especially for villagers who had limited access to fresh foods during the colder months.

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