I remember sometime in the late '60s, my dad came home with an electric fondue pot and proudly proclaimed that we would be having something I had never heard of, called "fond-doo." I was intrigued because anything made with cheese was a plus in my book.
I'm pretty sure this was the now-vintage, avocado-colored model that graced our table - but only once. The idea of fondue, it seemed, was vastly superior to the actuality of fondue. The electric pot didn't really do a very good job and the cheese wasn't very melty or malleable. It was kind of gloppy, and didn't taste all that good. I recall my dad being very disappointed that no one enjoyed his version of this national dish of Switzerland, probably because he used cheap jug white wine, domestic "Swiss" cheese and no corn starch, the latter being necessary to ensure the mixture emulsifies and becomes a harmonious, homogeneous blend, not a rubbery mass of milk solids swimming around in oil.
Fondue originates from the French word "fondre," meaning “to melt.” It became quite popular in the late '60s after the Swiss Pavilion's Alpine Restaurant introduced the dish to the American public at the 1964 World's Fair. But some version of dipping bread in melted cheese with wine has been around for centuries, allegedly dating back to 800 BC when literature of that time describes a mixture of goat's or sheep’s milk cheese with wine and flour, which is akin to what we today know as fondue. The earliest known printed recipe dates back to 1699 and the dish was popular among the European elite classes of the nineteenth century. But it was the introduction of corn starch to the Swiss in 1905 that greatly contributed to the success of the dish and its eventual worldwide popularity.
Before electric fondue pots found a market, fondue was served in a caquelon, an earthenware communal pot, kept warm on a portable stove, called a réchaud, heated with a candle or a spirit lamp. Today, we might call that a chafing dish.
Fondue is classically made with Emmenthaler cheese, what we would call Swiss cheese - the kind with holes in it. American Swiss is not "real" Swiss cheese, but comes from a type of cheese called Brewster Cheese. American Swiss is more popularly used for Fondue in this country, although generally considered inferior to Emmenthaler by aficionados. Gruyére cheese, also from Switzerland, found its way into the mix over the last few decades, as has Gouda from the Netherlands and Fontina, which originated from Italy but is popular in Sweden and Denmark. All of these cheeses have commonality in that they are made from cow's milk, are pale in color, mild in flavor and melt easily. Do remember that Switzerland is bordered by Germany, France and Italy so their influence - culinary and otherwise - is felt throughout the country as are use of their languages.
On the advice of at least two people who sounded like they knew what they were talking about, I did not use Chardonnay as my white wine selection. Chardonnay has a distinct smoky flavor that allegedly overpowers the more subtle flavors of mild, white cheeses from northwestern Europe. Sauvignon Blanc was recommended, which is what I happened to have on hand. Similarly, if you are using Gouda, do not use smoked Gouda.
Ingredients
About 2-1/2 lbs, more or less equal parts of Emmenthaler or Swiss, Gruyére, Fontina and Gouda Cheese (not smoked)
8 tsp corn starch
3 tsp powdered English mustard (like, Coleman's)
1 tbsp minced garlic
2-1/3 cups of dry white wine, like Sauvignon Blanc (do not use Chardonnay)
2 oz Kirchwasser (you can substitute Brandy)
The Recipe
If you're fortunate enough to have a food processor with a cheese grater assembly, it will make your life much easier. Two-and-a-half pounds is a lot of shredded cheese. Regardless of your methodology, make a course shred of all your various cheeses.
Combine the corn starch and powdered mustard in a small bowl with a whisk, then sprinkle all over the shredded cheese. Use your hands to toss the cheese until the corn starch mixture is thoroughly incorporated and coating the shreds of cheese.
Using your hands again, smear the minced garlic over the inside of the fondue pot.
Today's electric fondue pots, at least the one I have, are vastly superior to the one my dad brought home circa 1968. They're sturdier and better made, control and retain heat very well, have non-stick surfaces, and magnetic break-away electrical connections for safety.
On a setting of "5" in a Cuisinart fondue pot, bring the wine to a gentle simmer. Using a non-stick whisk (not a metal one), stir in a handful of shredded cheese at a time. Stirring constantly, allow the cheese to melt before adding another handful. Keep this process going until all the cheese has been incorporated into the mixture. It will gradually thicken as you proceed.
Lower the heat setting to "3.5" so that the mixture is slowly, gently bubbling. When service is set to begin, whisk in the Kirchwasser.
Classically, a day-old loaf of crusty bread is served sliced, and the fondue participant tears the bread in a size they prefer, but restaurateurs in the U.S. generally cube the bread for a guest's convenience. Fondue was originally conceived to use up leftover cheese and stale bread, so classically speaking, bread is it. Nothing else. But modern times have changed this, and any number of items can be used for dipping, like white grapes, grape tomatoes, sliced zucchini, small cubes of cooked steak or sliced German sausage, broccoli florets, button mushrooms - really, anything portable enough for dipping. I considered many things, but ultimately decided on cubed sourdough bread, cubed Fuji apples and very small, grape-sized potatoes that I happened to have found at a specialty neighborhood grocer. I roasted them first for thirty minutes in a 375F degree oven.
To eat fondue, one uses a long fondue fork, called a "fonduegabel" in German. It's a simple three part process: dunk the bread into the cheese, raise and twirl the fonduegabel above the cheese, then gently tap the fork on the rim of the fondue pot to dispatch any drips.
It is considered impolite to dip your fork into the pot while someone else is there. It is also traditional that halfway through the fondue, everyone takes a shot of spirits, usually Kirshwasser, which is supposed to aid in digestion and rekindle a faltering appetite. This is known as "le coup du milieu" or "the middle shot." It is also considered traditional that if you lose your piece of bread while dunking, you're obliged to buy the table a round of drinks.
As they would say in Zurich, "Prost!"
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