Tips & Hints: Fondue How To's

Deutsch: Tipps & Tricks: Fondue-Grundlagen / Español: Consejos e Indicaciones: Fondue Cómo Hacerlo / Português: Dicas e Sugestões: Fondue Como Fazer / Français: Conseils et Astuces: Fondue Comment Faire / Italiano: Suggerimenti e Suggerimenti: Fonduta Come Fare /

Tips & Hints: Fondue How To's: Fondue started life in Switzerland as a rustic affair using leftover scraps of cheese, and although nowadays the ingredients may be more sophisticated it is still a sociable and down-to-earth dish with everyone sharing from the same pot.

The famous Swiss cheeses Gruyere, Emmental and Appenzeller remain the most popular fondue ingredients but good results can also be achieved by adding Comte, Beaufort, Raclette or Tete de Moine to the mixture. We are often asked for advice on how to prepare the perfect fondue, and so here is a classic recipe.
To prepare:

Rub the inside of your fondue pot with the cut surface of the garlic. Grate the cheeses and put them in the pot. Mix the cornflour with the lemon juice and then add to the cheese together with the wine. Heat the mixture gently on your kitchen stove until the cheese melts, stirring frequently to achieve a smooth consistency.

Take care not to let the cheese boil (if your fondue pot is the ceramic type do this part in a saucepan and then transfer the melted cheese back into the fondue pot). Stir in the kirsch, pepper and nutmeg and then place the mixture over the burner on the table.

To serve:

Spear bite-sized cubes of bread on to a fork and dunk them into the cheese. Stir until the bread is well-coated, then remove whilst rotating your fork to stop the cheese from dripping. Give the mixture a stir every time you dip into it and it will remain creamy down to the very bottom.

Useful tips:

If the fondue is too thick, beat in a little warmed wine or kirsch.
If the fondue is too thin, stir in some grated cheese over medium heat. If you have run out of cheese, add a little cornflour mixed with some white wine.
If the cheese and wine separate, return to the stove and beat with a whisk over a high heat. If you keep on stirring as you eat, the fondue should not separate.
Make sure everyone drinks plenty of wine.
Get someone else to wash up the fondue pot.

Recipe
Swiss Fondue
(serves 4)

Ingredients:

1/2 clove garlic
500g Gruyere
250g Emmental
150g Appenzeller
350ml/1/2 bottle dry white wine
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
3 teaspoons cornflour
1 1/2 tablespoons kirsch
pinch of nutmeg
freshly ground pepper