by Cally Minner
Fondue is a classic staple in much of France and Switzerland, something that many families have their own unique recipe for. The word stems from the French word fondre which means ‘to melt’, very apt for a dish centered around melted cheese! I spent two years living in France, getting to know the culture and cuisine (especially the cheese and wine of the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region!). At the end of my two years, a coworker of mine shared his family’s fondue recipe that he had made during the holidays. Since having the recipe, I have altered it slightly to suit my own tastes, but it remains, in essence, true to a classic fondue family recipe from the Burgundy and Franche-Comté regions of France.
Fondue is traditionally enjoyed during the holidays. My family has always done it for Valentine’s Day each year too. Fondue holds such a special place in my heart and while our recipe has changed (for the better!) since I moved back from France, the quality time spent with family and friends is something that will always mean more to me than any recipe.
Fondue allows us to all sit around a pot of deliciously melted cheese, and share a meaningful moment of cheese and conversation with one another, making it a perfect choice for a holiday weekend!
Bon appétit !
This recipe feeds 4-6 people and takes roughly 1-1.5 hours in full.
Ingredients
The Fondue:
- 1.5lb Alpine Style Cheese (2-3 different types, roughly aged 12-16 months, 2/3 of the cheese having fruity notes, 1/3 more mild)
- For this recipe, I used three cheeses: 1/3 Comté Fleur, 1/3 Challerhocker, 1/3 Alp Blossom at roughly half a pound each
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 300ml white wine (start light and add more if needed)
- I used Sauvignon Blanc; a Pinot Grigio would work well too!
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 shallots, diced
- 1.5 tablespoons whole grain mustard (I recommend Delouis Moutarde à l’ancienne which you can find in our shops)
- Black pepper (to taste)
- Nutmeg (to taste)
- ¼ lemon (or a splash of kirsch)
The Sides:
- Bread (French baguette or a French loaf recommended)
- Sugar Snap Peas
- Peppers
- Broccoli
- Any other veggies!
- Optional dressing to dip the veggies in
Directions
- Shred all of your cheeses into a bowl (doesn’t need to be thinly shredded) and add a small spoonful of flour to act as a thickening agent.
- Mince 3 cloves of garlic and dice 2 shallots.
- In a sauce pan or a fondue pot, on low, pour in the white wine, squeeze a quarter of a lemon, add the garlic, the shallots, and the mustard. Stir and let it sit for a bit (a few minutes is adequate).
- Slowly add the cheese, stirring in between. The key is to be patient; let each handful of cheese mostly melt before adding the next handful. Be sure to stir fairly constantly for the right consistency. If it’s too thick, add more wine until you get the desired texture. Part of the consistency comes from stirring, so only add a little more wine if necessary.
- Once all of the cheese has been added and melted, add black pepper and nutmeg to taste.
- Prep and set out the bread and veggies to your style as well as any other sides and beverages.
- Enjoy!
Optional: Dessert Fondue!
Melt down some chocolate in the fondue pot on low and dip some strawberries!
