While cheese fondue recipes vary from region to region in both France and Switzerland, I love a French fondue - aka Fondue Savoyarde -using Comté, Beaufort, and Emmental.
My favorite wines to drink with cheese fondue are a dry Chablis, Alsatian Riesling, Chinon, or a Roussette from Savoie. While none of these are easy to find in the States, just remember, when selecting a wine for your fondue dinner, that it should be a crisp dry white- something to stand up to the fat in the cheese.
To begin, you must select the right pot. I’ve accumulated several over the years, but a quality pot that conducts heat well, either heavy porcelain or cast iron is essential.
Before putting the wine in the fondue pot, take a garlic clove, crush it and rub the pot with it, leaving the garlic at the bottom. If I’m making fondue for my family - we LOVE extra garlic! - I add several additional chopped cloves of garlic that will toast up with the last bit of cheese- perfect to fight over at the end of the meal!
I use a dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Blanc as a base for my fondue- easy to find in the States. I add 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice which acts as an additional emulsifier for the cheese.
Next, cut the cheeses in small chunks or shred and place it in a colander and dredge with a very light coating of corn starch before adding to the simmering wine (admittedly, my French friends shake their heads at this, but it helps).
On the stovetop, place wine in your heavy pot (Le Creuset or similar) over medium heat until wine is hot but not boiling. Add lemon juice. Do not let liquid get too hot before adding cheese.
Slowly add handfuls of cheese until melted and sauce is creamy, stirring constantly.
Bring to gentle boil for 1-2 minutes.
Finish with a pinch of fresh nutmeg, cracked pepper, and Kirsch to taste - just before serving the fondue.
Transfer mixture to fondue pot and remove to a lighted burner on the table and serve.
Sometimes when I feel like shaking things up, I add very thinly sliced truffles, or a few Morilles, or even cèpe mushrooms to the mix.
In addition to bite size chunks of sourdough or country style crusty bread for dipping, I love to add a cranberry walnut bread and a few cornichons.
My Swiss hosts always serve a cheese fondue with hot black tea- helps with digestion. I do the same.
My favorite meat to pair with fondue (or Raclette) is an authentic Schwarzwälder Schinken (Black Forest Ham), handmade by Bavaria Sausage in Madison, WI. Heavily smoked, cured with Juniper berries, and sliced thin, this is the perfect match to the cheese!
P.S. I rarely use pre-packaged ‘fondue,’ although I’ll admit that in a real pinch - if the grandkids are asking for a last -minute fondue, or I’m out camping, for example - this will do.
French Fondue Savoyarde
· 1 garlic clove, or more to taste
· 300 ml. dry white wine
· 250 g Comté
· 150 g Emmental
· 250 g Beaufort
. 1-2 Tbsp Corn Starch
. 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
· Nutmeg
· White pepper
. Kirsch