Fond of Fondue
The 1970s Swiss dinner party favourite is making a comeback. Metropol writer Lucy Brewer investigates.
Sometimes, being really cheesy is a good thing. Fondue is one of those times. Originating in 18th-century Switzerland, when peasants melted ageing cheeses with wine to stretch resources through winter, this classic sharing dish was a staple at all the best dinner parties in the 1970s.
After slipping in and out of fashion over the decades since, fondue is enjoying a modern resurgence and again bringing people together. There is no better time to reflect and share kai with those we love than when gathering to celebrate the Māori New Year. Never tried the communal dish? Get your fondue on with this easy at-home recipe that’s made for sharing and creating memories.
Don’t have a fondue pot or the special fondue forks? A heavy-bottomed pot or saucepan on low heat will work just fine, along with regular forks.
Avoiding cheese? Try a broth of your choice, or for a sweet alternative, melt a pot of chocolate and coconut cream.
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour or cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 250g shredded Swiss cheese
- 250g shredded Gruyère cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 loaf French bread (500g), cut into two to three-centimetre cubes
Method
- Bring wine to a simmer in a fondue pot over a medium-low heat.
- Stir in flour and nutmeg until well combined.
- Add Swiss and Gruyère cheeses, quarter of each at a time, mixing after each addition until the cheese is melted. Season with salt.
- Serve with cut-up French bread.
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Fun fondue facts: The word fondue comes from the French verb ‘fondre,’ meaning to melt. The first known recipe is in a Zürich cookbook published in 1699. As a way to get people eating more cheese, fondue was promoted as a national dish by the Swiss Cheese Union in the 1930s.
