Ask The Expert: How To Make And Serve Cheese Fondue (2024)

FAQs

What type of cheese is best for fondue? ›

The best all-around cheeses for fondue are fontina, Gruyère, and gouda. If you aren't sure what to pick, use even amounts of these three. Together are lush and complex. For classic Swiss cheese fondue (meaning one like what you would find in Switzerland), a mix of traditional, firm mountain-style cheeses is best.

There are four commonly prepared types of fondue. They are cheese fondue, chocolate fondue, oil fondue (also known as meat fondue), and broth fondue.

The Swiss recommend 200g of cheese per person but believe me that is a lot so I would go with 150g each. Dry white wine or hot tea is the usual accompaniment with a shot of Kirsch for those who are feeling bold.

Vegetables such as asparagus, broccoli, bell peppers, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, carrots, and zucchini are delicious if roasted first. Or steam some green beans, pearl onions, and radishes, or a variety of baby potatoes like Yukon Gold, fingerling, red, or purple.

Usually fondue fuel is methyl hydrate, also known as methanol, methyl alcohol, or wood alcohol. Most fondue burners have a fiberglass batting inside them to soak the alcohol up and act like a wick, you do not want to overfill the burner because you do not want to spill burning alcohol and start a fire.

Serve this top-rated cheese fondue with cubed French bread, meat, potatoes, sliced fruit (such as apples), vegetables (such as cauliflower, broccoli, and sliced bell peppers), crackers, chips, or pretzels.

Oil or broth fondue Oil fondue is also called Bourguignon fondue. It can use any type of oil: peanut, vegetable, canola, olive. You will need to get oil at 375F (just below boiling) to cook meats and vegetables that you will use.

Wine is also an important ingredient because its acids encourage the softening of cheese. In addition, wine has a lower boiling point than water, allowing the cheese to melt at a lower temperature and helping prevent it from becoming stringy. (The wine you use doesn't have to be expensive.)

A cheese fondue mixture should be kept warm enough to keep the fondue smooth and liquid but not so hot that it burns. If this temperature is held until the fondue is finished there will be a thin crust of toasted (not burnt) cheese at the bottom of the caquelon. This is called la religieuse (French for the nun).

Never lick the fondue pot, no matter how tempting. Never eat directly off the fondue fork. Never forget your food in the pot. Never pour the contents of the pot onto your plate.

Is fondue better with oil or broth? ›

When making fondue, the first thing to consider is what type of ingredients you want to use; if you are a vegetarian, you may prefer the oil. The oil is also a healthier option because it contains no fat or calories. However, if you like meat and cheese, the broth is better because it has more flavors.

The fondue pot, caquelon, absorbs some of the direct heat and lets the cheese melt at the correct temperature. The more aged the cheese, the better it melts, and the addition of acid in the form of wine and lemon juice keeps the proteins apart and helps the cheese melt evenly.

Wines like Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadet are excellent choices for their crisp, zesty qualities that can complement your fondue.

Cheese fondue is eaten with a long-handled fondue fork, one fork per guest. Cubed bread is speared and dipped into sauce served in a communal pot. Because the sauce is shared by everyone at the table, and the fork is redipped into the sauce many times, the tines of the fork do not pierce the cubes all the way through.

Fondue (UK: /ˈfɒnd(j)uː/, US: /fɒnˈd(j)uː/, French: [fɔ̃dy]) is a Swiss melted cheese and wine dish served in a communal pot (caquelon or fondue pot) over a portable stove (réchaud) heated with a candle or spirit lamp, and eaten by dipping bread and sometimes vegetables into the cheese using long-stemmed forks.

Bread is the main accompaniment, although boiled potatoes, charcuterie, and cornichons or other pickles can also be served. Veggies, fruit, and boiled eggs are not traditionally used in Swiss fondue. Take a piece of bread and spear it firmly on your fondue fork so that the crust is on the outside.

Yes, you can reheat cheese fondue! The best way is to use a double boiler (bain marie), stirring regularly on gentle heat. Cheese fondue tends to thicken when it cools, so you may have to add some liquid, such as milk or wine, to achieve the desired texture.