FONDUE: French for “melt”, the word comes from fondue. Fondue has several meanings. The first pertaining to food cooked in a central pot at the table.

1. Fondue au fromage is a classic Swiss dish consisting of cheese melted with white wine or liqueurs. Bite-size chunks of French bread are dipped into the hot, savoury mixture.

2. Fondue bourguignonne is a variation whereby cubes of raw beef are cooked in a pot o hot oil, then dipped into various savoury sauces.

3. Chocolate fondue, a combination of melted chocolate, cream and sometimes liqueur into which fruit or cake may be dipped.

The Swiss think a proper fondue is made with a blend of cheeses -- of Gruyere, Emmental, and softer cheeses -- white wine, a little kirsch, a spoonful of flour to prevent curdling, salt and pepper, nutmeg, and nothing else.

Gruyere: First and foremost a Swiss national, Gruyere cheese is now widely copied by other countries, including France and the United States. It is named after the village of its origin in the canton of Fribourg, where it is still made in the mountains. The cheese has a pale yellow, firm but friable interior, which is sparsely scattered with pea-sized holes. It has a rather sweet, fruity flavour, significant aroma and coarse reddish rind in which fine slits, known as becs, may be discerned. Wonderful both as a table cheese or a recipe ingredient.

Emmental: A Swiss mountain cheese made from cow’s milk and copied by other countries, notably France. The firm, thick, oily, golden interior has evenly distributed olive-shaped holes and a soft fruit flavour. Made in wheels which can weigh as much as 220 pounds, it is identifiable by the label of origin on the side of each cheese. Its size came about because of the necessity to store up dairy products over the alpine winters. Emmental is good as a table cheese and as an ingredient: in salads, canapés or sprinkled over soups and vegetables, or in cooked dishes.

Fonduta, the Italian version of fondue, is made with Fontina cheese. Fontina - related to Fontal and similar in most respects, this long-established Piedmontese cheese was the gentry’s choice as early as the 13th century. Fontina cheese is made solely in alpine chalets in the Piedmont region of Italy and has a more obvious bouquet. It’s ivory-yellow interior differs from Fontal, in that it is peppered with tiny holes. Fontina is a highly regarded Italian cheese, with a mild, yet distinctive flavour and a supple texture. Mature cheeses, with their firmer, drier texture are particularly suitable when grated for use in a fondue.

References: A Gourmet’s Guide to Cheese, Carol Timperley & Cecilia Norman
The Oxford Companion to Food, Alan Davidson
Food Lover’s Companion, Sharon Tyler Herbst




CLASSIC CHEESE FONDUE WITH CHIVES
3 tbsp butter
3 ½ tbsp chopped chives
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups grated Swiss cheese dredged with flour
2 egg yolks, well beaten
Pinch of nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
1 wholegrain baguette, cut into one-inch cubes and lightly toasted in the oven.

In the fondue pot, sauté the chives in butter for a few minutes. Add the wine and heat until bubbly (but not boiling). Add the cheese and stir until smooth. Add 3 tablespoons of the cheese mixture to the egg yolks. Slowly stir yolk mixture into fondue pot. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. Dip toasted cubes of bread into cheese mixture.




GARLIC & HERB FONDUE
2/3 cups dry white wine
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 ¼ cups sour cream
2 (5 oz) packages soft cheese with garlic and herbs
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
To Serve:
Cauliflower, broken into flowerets
Broccoli, broken into flowerets
Chopped parsley
1 dark rye bread, or 1 French bread loaf, cut into cubes, toasted
Add to fondue pot ½ cup wine; bring to a boil. Blend cornstarch with remaining wine; add to pot and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Reduce heat. Add sour cream and cheese; stir until cheese has melted. Add nutmeg, salt and pepper. Keep warm.

Bring a pan of salted water to a boil, add cauliflower and broccoli and boil 5 to 6 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain well and place in a warm serving dish.

Sprinkle fondue with parsley and serve immediately with cauliflower and broccoli and bread cubes.




AGED CHEDDAR AND ALE FONDUE
2 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp finely minced onion
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 ¼ cups milk
1/3 cup ale, or non-alcoholic beer
½ tsp celery salt
¼ tsp hot pepper sauce
1 ½ cups (6 oz) shredded aged cheddar cheese
3 cups assorted fresh vegetables

Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat and sauté onion for 3 to 4 minutes or until cooked, stirring frequently. Stir in flour, cook 1 minute, stirring often. Slowly whisk in milk and ale until smooth. Whisk in celery salt and hot pepper sauce. Increase heat to medium; bring to a boil. Boil 2 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and slowly stir in cheese until melted. (Fondue can be prepared to this point up to 1 day in advance. Cover and refrigerate. Reheat gently over medium-low heat, stirring constantly.) Place in fondue pot on low heat.




WHITE CHOCOLATE-CINNAMON FONDUE
2 cinnamon sticks, cut in half lengthwise, broken into several pieces
1 cup heavy cream
6 oz white chocolate, chopped
2 cups fresh fruit, cut into pieces, or assorted cookies broken into pieces

In a small saucepan, combine half of the cinnamon pieces and the cream. Bring to a boil.

Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 15 minutes. Add remaining cinnamon pieces and return pan to a boil. Remove from heat, cover and let stand 15 minutes. Add remaining cinnamon pieces and return pan to boil. Remove from heat, cover and let stand 15 minutes more. In a fondue pot , place white chocolate. Return cream to a boil once more. Pour cream through a strainer (to remove cinnamon pieces) over white chocolate. Let stand 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Serve warm in fondue pot.




CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE FONDUE
8 oz bittersweet Swiss chocolate, broken
½ cup heavy cream
2 to 3 tbsp liqueur or brandy (optional)
Strawberries and raspberries for dipping

In the top of a small double boiler, over simmering water, combine chocolate and cream. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in liqueur. Pour into chocolate fondue pot. Serve immediately.