Classic Cheese Fondue

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A delicious and comforting recipe for how to make cheese fondue. Serve with fresh crusty bread, veggies or grilled meats.

Cheese fondue became a family favorite meal while living in Switzerland! I was pregnant twice during our 4-year transfer there and during one of my pregnancies, we had fondue at least once a week but more often, two times a week! It was such a lovely way to get to know others and have an up-close relationship with our new home.

Cheese Fondue is basically melted cheese served in a communal pot over a heat source to keep it hot and bubbly.

Normally, people use long forks to dip chunks of bread into the melted cheese mixture.

While the term "fondue" has become extended to include chocolate fondue or fondue bourguignonne (in which pieces of meat are dipped and cooked in hot oil), when we say fondue is for dinner, it means cheese fondue!

You would think, with all the low fat/no fat propaganda, that I would have gained a pound after pound eating all that fat. Not the case at all - in fact, I only gained 21 lbs during that pregnancy! Says something about our body's need for fat doesn't it?

Traditionally, it was the man's job to make cheese fondue.

Our theory on the reasoning behind this is that since so much alcohol evaporates during the cooking process, the men were there to inhale the vapors! I think it's a great idea to learn how to make fondue whoever you are, however.

This recipe is adaptable to your own tastes and preferences.

I have made the following recipe with Appenzeller and Gruyere cheeses, as well as other combinations, including one sharp and one milder cheese. Now, I primarily use our homemade cheese which is normally a combination of Swiss, Muenster and/or cheddar cheese.

Tip: I double the recipe and serve it with pickles, pickled okra, pickled onions and/or olives.

Good Cheese To Use To Make Fondue;

Appenzeller
Gruyere, Swiss
Monterey Jack
Cheddar
Muenster

How to Make Cheese Fondue Step by Step

Mix the grated cheese and white wine in the fondue pot and heat over medium heat stirring constantly with a figure 8 motion.

grated cheese on a plate ready to cook cheese fondue

Heat slowly! This should take at least 10 - 15 min. It will appear lumpy as the cheese melt.

Add the corn starch dissolved in cherry liquor and the lemon juice. The corn starch acts as a binder to hold the cheese mixture together.

When the cheese begins to get smooth rather than lumpy, add paprika, pepper and garlic powder to taste.

Move the fondue pot to the table over a small burner to keep it warm. Using fondue forks, dip bite size bread pieces into the hot cheese. Fondue may be served with pickles, pickled okra and pickled onions as side dishes.

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Cheese Fondue

Cultured Palate

A traditional meal for sharing, or to make a fun date night in.

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 25 mins

Total Time 35 mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine French

Servings servings

Calories 730 kcal

Ingredients

7 c grated cheese combination of Appenzeller, Gruyere, Swiss, Monterey Jack, Cheddar, Muenster - I pick 1 sharp and 1 mild variety
2 c white wine
2 teaspoon corn starch
1 ½ teaspoon lemon juice
6 tablespoon kirschwasser a cherry liquor
garlic paprika and pepper to taste
ground pepper and garlic powder to taste
2 loaves french whole wheat or gluten free bread, cut into chunks. Click for sources of sprouted bread and gluten free bread

Instructions

Mix the grated cheese and white wine in the fondue pot and heat over medium heat stirring constantly with a figure 8 motion.
Heat slowly! This should take at least 10 - 15 min. It will appear lumpy as the cheese melt.
Add the corn starch dissolved in cherry liquor and the lemon juice.The corn starch acts as a binder to hold the cheese mixture together.
When the cheese begins to get smooth rather than lumpy, add paprika, pepper and garlic powder to taste.
Move the fondue pot to the table over a small burner to keep it warm.
Using fondue forks, dip bite size bread pieces into the hot cheese.
Fondue may be served with pickles, pickled okra and pickled onions as side dishes.
Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 730kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 39gFat: 52gSaturated Fat: 33gCholesterol: 166mgSodium: 990mgPotassium: 253mgSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1585IUVitamin C: 0.6mgCalcium: 1149mgIron: 1.4mg

Keyword cheese, fondue, traditional

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Classic Cheese Fondue

Cheese Fondue is basically melted cheese served in a communal pot over a heat source to keep it hot and bubbly.

Traditionally, it was the man's job to make cheese fondue.