Fondue's Popularity In The 70S: A Cultural Revolution

Fondue was all the rage in the 1970s. The Swiss dish, consisting of melted cheese and wine, was served in a communal pot and eaten by dipping bread, vegetables, or meat into the cheese using long-stemmed forks. Fondue was promoted as a Swiss national dish by the Swiss Cheese Union in the 1930s to increase cheese consumption and was popularized in North America in the 1960s. It first emerged at the Swiss Pavilion's Alpine restaurant at the 1964 World Fair in New York. Fondue's popularity in the 1970s was due to a combination of clever marketing tactics and its perfect use for stale bread, which would soften when dipped in the melted cheese. Fondue was also a highly social dining experience, with friends and family gathering around the steaming, bubbling pot, making it an ideal choice for dinner parties.

The Swiss Cheese Union's marketing campaign

The Swiss Cheese Union (Schweizerische Käseunion) began promoting fondue as a Swiss national dish in the 1930s as a way to increase cheese consumption. Fondue, a Swiss dish consisting of melted cheese and wine served in a communal pot, was first introduced to North America at the Swiss Pavilion's Alpine restaurant at the 1964 World Fair in New York. The Swiss Cheese Union's marketing campaign aimed to position fondue as a trendy party theme among young Baby Boomers, with advertisements featuring attractive Swiss people in ski sweaters partying over pots of cheese. This campaign successfully created a craze for fondue in the 1970s, with fondue parties becoming a popular social gathering.

The Swiss Cheese Union's strategy targeted the social and communal nature of fondue, which is eaten with long-stemmed forks for dipping bread, vegetables, or other snacks into the melted cheese. This interactive and communal dining experience encouraged conversation and created a fun and relaxed atmosphere. The campaign also emphasised the affordability and ease of preparation, making it an attractive option for dinner parties.

The Swiss Cheese Union's efforts to popularise fondue extended beyond marketing. They created pseudo-regional recipes as part of the "spiritual defence of Switzerland" and sent fondue sets to military regiments and event organisers across Switzerland. Additionally, they promoted fondue through catchy slogans such as "La fondue crée la bonne humeur" ("fondue creates a good mood") and "Fondue isch guet und git e gueti Luune" ("fondue is good and creates a good mood"), abbreviated as "figugegl".

The success of the Swiss Cheese Union's marketing campaign transformed fondue into a symbol of Swiss unity and a dish often associated with mountains and winter sports. Fondue's popularity in the 1970s can be attributed to a combination of clever advertising, the social dining experience it offered, and its simplicity and accessibility as a party dish.

Fondue as a social occasion

Fondue is a social occasion by design. It is eaten with long-handled forks, dipped and twirled in a communal pot, encouraging conversation and a sense of bonhomie. It is a fun and interactive way to eat, and its preparation is simple and affordable. Fondue is a great leveller, too: it is hard to be formal when dipping bread into a pot of cheese, and the potential for mess is a great equaliser.

Fondue is also versatile. While cheese fondue is the most well-known, there are also meat fondues, where small pieces of meat are cooked in hot oil, and chocolate fondue for dessert. A typical 1970s fondue evening might consist of all three, with chocolate fondue and fresh fruit providing a sweet end to proceedings.

The Swiss Cheese Union popularised fondue as a Swiss national dish in the 1930s as a way of increasing cheese consumption. It was first introduced to Americans at the Swiss Pavilion's Alpine restaurant at the 1964 New York World's Fair, and it became a popular dinner party dish in the 1960s and 1970s. It was a novel way to eat, and its simplicity and low cost made it an attractive option for hosts. Fondue's communal nature also chimed with the social mores of the time, and it is easy to see why it became a craze.

Fondue parties were often kitsch affairs, with guests dressed in ski sweaters, and fondue sets in questionable colours such as avocado or lime green. Fondue's popularity may have waned, but it remains a fun and tasty way to eat, and a great social occasion.

The rise of globalization

Fondue, a Swiss dish consisting of melted cheese and wine served in a communal pot, became a culinary trend in the 1970s, particularly among young Baby Boomers. The rise of globalization facilitated the spread of this culinary craze beyond Switzerland's borders, with North America, especially the United States, embracing the dish with enthusiasm. The Swiss Cheese Union's marketing efforts in the 1930s had already laid the groundwork by promoting fondue as a Swiss national dish, increasing its recognition and appeal internationally.

The Swiss Pavilion's Alpine restaurant at the 1964 World's Fair in New York played a pivotal role in introducing fondue to Americans. With the rise of globalization, it didn't take long for fondue to gain a foothold in the US, and it soon became a chic party theme. The sociable nature of fondue, with its communal pot and long-handled forks, perfectly aligned with the social dynamics of the time.

The popularity of fondue in the 1970s can be attributed to a combination of clever marketing by the Swiss dairy industry and the rise of globalization, which facilitated the spread of food trends across borders. David Sax, author of "The Tastemakers: Why We're Crazy for Cupcakes but Fed Up with Fondue," notes that the cycle of food trends has shortened dramatically in recent decades, with fondue being a prime example of a legitimate food fad from the 1970s.

Fondue's rise to fame in the 1970s was also influenced by its accessibility and affordability. It required minimal preparation, and the ingredients were inexpensive. Fondue allowed hosts to spend less time in the kitchen and more time socializing with their guests. Additionally, fondue's versatility, with options for cheese, meat, and chocolate variations, added to its appeal, ensuring that it wasn't just a passing fad but a lasting culinary trend.

The fondue craze of the 1970s also extended beyond home dinner parties to restaurants. Fondue restaurants, such as The Melting Pot, emerged to cater to the growing demand for this interactive and indulgent dining experience. The social nature of fondue, combined with its ability to bring people together over a communal pot of delicious melted cheese, solidified its place as a culinary trend that defined the decade.

Fondue's versatility

For a savoury fondue, the traditional Swiss cheese fondue is made with a blend of shredded Swiss cheeses such as Gruyère, Emmentaler, and Appenzeller, heated with dry white wine and seasonings. This is served with cubes of French bread for dipping, but other options include apples, fingerling potatoes, fresh vegetables, and lightly seared beef, chicken, or pork. For a meat fondue, small pieces of meat are cooked in hot oil or broth.

For dessert, a chocolate fondue can be made by melting chocolate and serving it with fresh fruit, marshmallows, pretzels, or pastries for dipping.

The communal nature of fondue

Fondue is a Swiss dish that consists of melted cheese and wine served in a communal pot. It is eaten by dipping bread, vegetables, or other snacks into the cheese using long-stemmed forks. The dish is placed in the centre of the table, with everyone sitting around it, creating a communal dining experience. Fondue is a social occasion as much as it is a hearty meal, and this is perhaps why it became so popular in the 1970s.

Fondue is also highly customisable, with many regional variations on the original recipe. For example, in Fribourg, potatoes are often dipped into the fondue instead of bread, and in Geneva, chopped sautéed morels are added to the mix. The customisability of fondue means that it can be adapted to suit different tastes and preferences, making it an even more inclusive and communal dish.

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