Neuchâtel Fondue
A classic Swiss cheese fondue featuring Gruyère and Emmental, melted with white wine and finished with Kirsch. Served with crusty bread. Originally found in the book, Fondue, by Fiona Smith, with some added tips from theKitchn.com.
instructions
step 1
Rub the cut side of the garlic around the inside of the fondue pot.
step 2
Pour in the wine and bring it to a boil on the stove. Reduce the heat to simmering.
step 3
Put the grated cheeses into a bowl, add the flour, and toss well.
step 4
Gradually add the cheese to the wine, stirring constantly and letting each addition melt before adding more.
step 5
When the mixture is creamy and smooth, add Kirsch and pepper to taste.
step 6
Transfer the pot to a tabletop burner and arrange the bread cubes on serving platters.
step 7
To eat: spear a piece of bread on a fondue fork, dip it into the cheese, and swirl in a figure-of-eight to keep the fondue smooth.
ingredients
1 garlic clove, halved
1¼ cups dry white wine
13 oz Gruyère cheese, grated
13 oz Emmental cheese, grated
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2–4 tablespoons Kirsch
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2½ lb crusty bread, cubed
Variations
Other Swiss cantons created their own variations, usually by substituting their local cheese and wine. Try it with your own local dry wines and Gruyère-style cheeses:
Fondue Fribourgeois
Substitute 4 cups Fontina cheese, rind removed, finely chopped, for either the Gruyère or Emmental.
Appenzeller Fondue
Appenzeller, available in the US, is a cheese washed in spiced wine or cider. Use instead of the Gruyère and Emmental, and another dry white wine or hard cider instead of Neuchâtel. Serve with bread, apples, grapes, and endive.
Comté Fondue
Comté, available in the US, is a big, rich, fruity, Gruyère-type, especially suitable for fondues. Use 8 cups instead of the Gruyère and Emmental.
Rosé Fondue
Is highly unconventional, said to have been invented by tourists in Switzerland who, finding themselves temporarily bereft of white wine, used what they had and came up with a funky pink version. Follow the recipe for Neuchâtel Fondue, substituting a light, dry rosé for the white wine. Not for traditionalists!
How to Serve
Preparing, serving, and eating fondue comes with many rules, which is very, very Swiss. Here are a few to keep in mind -- you don't want to end up in the lake!
- Always stir the melted cheese in a figure-eight motion. (This helps keep the cheese and wine from separating.)
- Never double-dip.
- Reach your fork all the way to the bottom of the pot. The cheese in the area directly above the burner will have crisped and toasted into delicious morsels of caramelized goodness — it’s known as la religieuse (“the nun”), perhaps because of its heavenly flavor. You’ll want to fight others for it.
Although I always recommend serving fondue with bread cubes, cornichon pickles, and pickled onions, you can swap out the bread with apple slices if you want to keep the feast gluten-free.