At some point in early winter, I decided it was time to demystify fondue for myself and figure out how to execute this type of dining. Why shouldn’t I? I adore the seventies, love table-top cookery, and a little quest. I began where I often do: with questions to ask and research to seek answers. I went online and found I didn’t care for the guidance, lack of context, or basic copy-paste recipes and posts. So I ordered Fondue Cookery (1970) by Alison Burt. I must share that I picked this book purely based on vibes, as the reviews I found online were sparse and unhelpful. The moody cows on the side of the ceramic crock, the hunk of cheese with a teeny Swiss flag perched on top, and the sizable Sans-serif typeface on the upper right-hand corner of the background screamed seventies. When the book arrived and I saw a picture of her clad in a two-toned orange latex apron, setting her dimly lit kitchen for breakfast, I knew Alison was the one who could and should guide me through my fondue journey. I read through the book quickly; the recipes were variations on a theme, and I found her introduction chapters most helpful. I learned fondue originates from Switzerland due to geography and climate and because of eating foods preserved for the long winters. As the winter snows cut off the access from the smaller villages to the main towns, the villagers would rely on locally made cheese. As the cheese aged, it would dry and harden, and melting this hard cheese with wine was a way to make the cheese more palatable. Fondue originates from the French word fondre, which means to melt.
Whilst I waited for my book to arrive, I began my quest to procure a fondue set. I knew what I did not want: electric pots (cords are cumbersome), tea candle fondue pots (Absolutely not. What is a tea candle going to cook?), or any type of fuel that I could not find at my local hardware store. I knew I could find Sterno easily, so I decided to find a pot and stand that would be compatible with that. I also love a good eBay hunt and searched for a vintage fondue set. I found one from the 70s in a vibrant shade of orange to match Alison’s apron, of course, and when she arrived, I was delighted by how vibrant the shade of orange was. But I was also disappointed because she was missing her lid, and the aluminum felt flimsy. Alison wrote the best pots are earthenware caquelons. Caquelon is the name of the fondue pot. This information I read after I ordered my pot. I’ve since learned that enameled cast iron pots are also a good choice, and aluminum pots are horrible to clean.
Romaine and I decided to make fondue on a cold, snowy December evening when our friend Joe would arrive from NYC. The day of, Romaine grabbed some oysters, last-minute groceries, and a crispy white wine before picking up Joe from the train station, and I began my mise en place, washing and chopping the vegetables for the meal. I popped the mushrooms, potatoes, and sausage in the oven. Then, I made a bright, zippy salad with celery I wanted to use up from the fridge and tossed the celery with chopped dried tart cherries, freshly toasted pecans, herbs, and a bright vinaigrette. I grated Emmental and Gruyere cheese in the food processor and cleaned up. Romaine pulled out the ice cream maker to make apple sorbet with local Vermont apples. We’d later top the sorbet with a splash of Calvados to make a Trou Normande for dessert, though usually, it’s a palate cleanser served between courses thought to aid digestion during lengthy feasts of hearty Northern French foods.
Joe set the table, and Gaston pattered around, sniffing excitedly. I melted the cheese gradually on my stove in my bright orange aluminum pot and brought the melted cheese to the table. I lit the Sterno, and the blue flame gently appeared, contrasting beautifully with the orange pot. I speared a piece of potato and dropped it into the pot, swirling it around to mix the cheese. I lifted my fondue fork, twirled the cheese around the potato to avoid drippage, and lifted the exquisite bite to my lips. I sat silent momentarily, appreciating and reveling in the cheese and wine. I eventually returned to the table and joined the conversation again, the three of us joyfully dipping into the communal pot while the fire in our wood stove crackled merrily.
Fondue Neuchâtel
Adapted from Fondue Cookery by Alison Burt
Recipe type: Interactive Cooking
Time: 30 minutes of preparation
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 clove of finely minced garlic
1 ½ cup of dry white wine
1 tablespoon of cornstarch
1 lemon
3 tablespoons of kirsch (optional)
2 cups of grated Emmental cheese
2 cups of grated Gruyère cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
A touch of freshly grated nutmeg
Equipment
Fondue pot (ceramic or enameled cast iron)
Heating element for fondue and stand (I use Sterno)
Fondue forks
Instructions
In a quart-sized pot, or you can do this directly in your fondue pot if it is stovetop safe, add one cup of white wine (reserve the other half cup), finely minced garlic, and the juice of half a lemon (about 1.5 tablespoons). Bring to a simmer. The acid from the lemon juice will help the cheese emulsify with the wine and become a silky smooth mixture.
Prepare the cornstarch slurry while the wine is coming up to a simmer. Add one tablespoon of cornstarch and the remaining ½ cup of wine, and whisk together. Whisk the mixture to incorporate the cornstarch and wine when the wine comes to a simmer. Then, mix the slurry to combine the starch and add it to the simmering pot of wine.
Once the wine mixture is simmering, gradually add the grated cheese, stirring continuously. Monitor the heat; you want your heat to be medium-low so the cheese melts slowly and doesn’t scorch. Visually, you’re looking for the cheese to melt with an occasional bubble burbling up. You don’t want to see a rolling boil on your cheese or hear sizzling from the bottom of your pot; that means your heat is too high. Continue gradually adding the cheese until all of the cheese has melted.
The next step is optional: add the three tablespoons of kirsch to the pot and stir as you incorporate it into the cheese mixture.
When the cheese has melted, it should be smooth. If the cheese liquid is too loose or watery, that’s fine. As the fondue continues cooking tableside, it will become thicker as the moisture evaporates. If the cheese is stringy or clumpy, add more lemon juice to make it silkier.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. The cheese mixture will continue to reduce and concentrate in flavor as the liquid evaporates, so avoid oversalting. Add a few grates of fresh nutmeg.
Transfer the melted cheese mixture to your fondue pot and bring to the table to enjoy.
I like to serve fondue with torn-up bread, charcuterie for meat eaters, roasted mushrooms for vegetarians, and roasted potatoes. To offset the richness of the cheese, I like to serve a bright, acidic salad. I usually serve a simple green salad or a crunchy, bright celery salad (recipe here).
Fondue Tips
Monitor the heat. If the cheese is bubbling too aggressively, I turn off the heat and then turn it back on (since I use Sterno gel and a flame for my fondue set-up). If you’re using an electric fondue cooker, keep the heat low if the cheese gets too hot.
Stir when dipping - stir the cheese when dipping to keep the cheese mixed and the consistency nice.
If the cheese gets too thick, add a little splash of white wine to loosen the mixture.