Cheese fondue is a Swiss and French melted cheese dish served in a communal pot (caquelon or fondue pot) over a portable stove (réchaud) heated with a candle or spirit lamp and eaten by dipping bread into the cheese using long-stemmed forks.
Cheese fondues can be prepared in a variety of ways. The most traditional method is to heat a mixture of white wine, garlic, and cheese together in a large cast-iron pot; however, heating the cheese in an earthenware pot is also popular. Some recipes call for eggs to be added, but this is supposed to be avoided; egg proteins will denature when heated to 60 °C (140 °F).
Cheese fondue originated in Switzerland as an easy way to use up any extra cheese that people had lying around. It has since become popular worldwide, especially in North America, where it was promoted as a Swiss national dish by the Swiss Cheese Union in the 1930s.
Types of Cheese which is best for Fondue
Fondue was invented to use hard cheeses that were no longer good for eating because they had aged beyond their prime.
According to wellplated the cheese is melted into wine with heat and an acid -- usually kirsch or a Citrus fruit juice. The acid breaks down the protein in the cheese, allowing it to be mixed with a thickener such as cornstarch. This keeps the cheese from separating at high temperatures. It also changes the flavor of the cheese and gives fondue its distinctive taste.
- So, there is no best cheese for fondue. But you can pick whatever type you like best as long as it has been aged at least three months and preferably six months.
- Remember that the older the cheese, the more flavorful it becomes. So you may wish to adjust your wine to suit aged Gouda, which is sweet and nutty, rather than young Cheddar which may be sharper tasting and more bitter.
Here's a quick rundown of some of the Cheeses you can use for Fondue:
- Fontina: This Italian cheese is a combination of cow and goat milk. The cheese is lightly colored, with a nutty flavor. You can use fontina to make a delicious, low-fat fondue by combining it with some white wine and garlic and a little bit of cornstarch to thicken it.
- Gruyere: The traditional cheese used in fondue has a smooth texture and mild, salty taste. It's made from unpasteurized cow's milk and is sweet when young but develops more complex flavors as it ages.
- Emmental: Also known as Swiss cheese, Emmental is made from unpasteurized cow's milk. It has large holes and tastes nutty and sweet when young but becomes stronger as it matures.
- Cheddar: Cheddar cheese has a sharp, strong flavor and makes great fondue — if you like that intense flavor! It doesn't melt quite as well as the other options on this list, but it works well for people who don't like the more subtle flavors of different cheeses.
The best way to choose your fondue cheese is by experimenting with plenty of recipes available online.
What can you put in Cheese Fondue?
Cheese fondue recipes are all about cheese given by allrecipes website. Well, maybe not. Sure, the cheese is essential to the recipe, but there's more to it than that. For example, the alcohol you choose can make a big difference in your fondue.
- Cheese fondue is traditionally made with white wine. It adds an acidic bite that balances out the richness of the cheese. But if you don't like wine or can't have it for some reason, there are many other options.
- You can use any alcohol you like, even beer, as long as it's flat (that is, not carbonated). Try sherry, fruit juices (like apple cider), cream sherry, or brandy. If there's something else you like to drink, try using that instead of white wine in your fondue recipe.
Dipping for Cheese Fondue Savoyarde
- Use bread cubes for dipping. Cut the bread into small bite-size cubes and use them for dipping. You can use any bread you have on hand, but French baguette or sourdough is the most commonly used type of bread for fondue.
- Use cut-up fruit for dipping. Fruit is a great way to add some crunch to your fondue. If using apples, pears, or other large fruits, cut them into small bite-size pieces before dipping them in the cheese fondue. Grapes, strawberries, and cherries can be used without cutting them up first.
- Use vegetables for dipping. Vegetables can be a healthy alternative to dipping in cheese fondue. Carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and celery are popular dipping choices and go well with most fondues.
What do you need for Fondue Savoyarde?
There is a lot more to fondue than just dipping bread into melted cheese, but don't worry; we'll get to that soon. First things first: to make fondue, you will need a fondue pot or a cooking vessel of some sort, and you will need fuel to heat it.
- Fondue pots are available in a range of materials and sizes. They are cast iron, enameled cast iron, stainless steel, and ceramic. The best pot for you depends on what type of fondue you plan on making and what fuel you plan to use.
- The size of the pot is also important. For cheese and chocolate fondue, choose a 1-quart pot so that there's enough fondue for everyone without too much left over at the end (chocolate and cheese can develop a skin if left at room temperature for too long). For oil or broth fondue, choose a larger pot so that there's plenty of room for your desired protein (see below) to cook evenly.
- If you're going the DIY route, it's easy enough to find an affordable fondue pot set on Amazon or other retailers. However, if you already have some pots at home that could work for fondue, here's how to pick.
Need of wine Cheese Fondue
Cheese fondue is a dish that can only be made with wine. This is because you heat the wine and add the cheese to it. If you try to use water, juice, or soda, the cheese will not melt properly. Wine has many properties that help with melting cheese and making it into a smooth liquid dip.
Acidity: Wine has a certain amount of acidity that helps melt the cheese. Without it, the cheese won't melt properly and clump together when heated. This makes it impossible to dip bread into it.
Protein: Wine also contains proteins that help form an emulsion with cheese. This means that the oil and fat in the wine bind with those in the cheese to create a smooth texture for the dip.
Alcohol: The alcohol in wine also helps melt the cheese by breaking down its proteins, so they can bind together with those in wine faster than they would without it. This creates a smoother texture when heated, which allows people to dip their bread without having it fall off into their plate of food or bowl of soup underneath them at dinner time.
What is Kirsch for Fondue?
Kirsch is a clear spirit distilled from cherries, which is almost flavorless. It's used in fondue because it gives the dish a subtle cherry flavor and fragrance but doesn't overpower the cheese.
Any alcohol can be used in fondue to help thin the cheese and prevent it from separating. The most popular choice is white wine, though you can also use beer, hard cider, or spirits like kirsch, brandy, or vodka.
Other Food items which have to serve with Cheese Savoyarde
These are some of my favorite things to serve with cheese. (I've included simple recipes for the ones that seem to need them.)
Fresh Fruit- Apples, pears, grapes, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, figs.
- Dried Fruit: Raisins and apricots are always a good bet. Other dried fruits depending on the cheese are good option. Dried cranberries are nice with blue cheese, for example. Dried cherries go well with many soft kinds of cheese.
- Crackers and bread – I like to have a crusty loaf of bread out when serving a cheese course. I also like crackers that don't overwhelm the flavor of the cheese (e.g., butter crackers). My personal preference is Carr's water crackers, as they have a nice buttery taste without being overpowering. They're also not too salty or crumbly like some other brands. You can also serve baguette slices or crostini if you prefer or even just plain old saltines if that's what you have on hand.
- Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, pecans, and hazelnuts all pair well with cheese, depending on the types you choose to serve. Roasted nuts are especially good as they bring.
How to Substitute Wine in Cheese Fondue?
Traditional fondue recipes call for white wine, but if you don't want to use wine, you can substitute the same amount of broth, cider, or cherry juice. You could also add a tablespoon of lemon juice in place of the wine.
- You can also make a cheese fondue with beer for a richer flavor. In this case, you'll want to reduce the volume of liquid by 50% before adding your cheese. For example, if your recipe calls for 1 cup of wine, use just 1/2 cup of beer instead (it has a higher alcohol content than wine).
- Some people also like to add mustard and nutmeg to cheese fondues — these are optional ingredients. If desired, add them along with the liquid at the beginning of cooking.
What can I Substitute for Kirsch in Fondue?
Kirsch is a cherry liqueur, and the word itself means "cherry" in German. It's not uncommon to see this added to chocolate fondue recipes, but it's also not strictly necessary.
As you've already found out, kirsch can be hard to find. If you can't get your hands on it, there are some other options you can consider:
- Cherry brandy (or even cherry-flavored vodka): This is the natural substitute. Of course, there is a certain amount of nuance to making fondue — it takes practice and experimentation to get it perfect — but if you want kirsch flavor and aroma as similar as possible, this is what you're looking for.
- A sour cherry extract or flavoring syrup: You might find these at an upscale grocery store or gourmet shop, but they can be difficult to find. The upside is that using these ingredients will take much less time than making fondue from scratch because they're ready to use right out of the bottle.
- Chocolate-covered cherries: These are a sweet alternative that won't add the alcohol flavor (or any flavor) to your fondue, but they will give you some of the color and texture that makes people thinks of cherries.
What to Serve with Cheese Fondue
The classic cheese fondue bread dipper is a crusty baguette.
- You can also cut up a loaf of crusty French bread or even rustic Italian bread and use the cubes to dip into your cheese fondue.
- A variety of vegetables is another popular choice for dipping into fondue. Choose vegetables that have good contrast in color. Some vegetables are better raw, while others are better steamed or blanched. Remember that you want your vegetable pieces to be bite-size; large amounts may not cook thoroughly when dipped in the fondue pot.
The popularity of Cheese Fondue in the UK is constantly increasing, but what's the reason?
Cheese fondue is an incredibly addictive dish made with melted cheese and rosemary. It's a type of cheese eaten on its own or can be used as a dipping sauce. The most popular way to eat it is by dipping chunks of bread into the melted cheese.
Cheese fondues popularity started in the 1920s and it has been growing ever since. Cheese fondues popularity has been increasing not only in the UK but also worldwide.
So, in the end I would say that if you love to eat Fondue then you have to try Cheese Fondue by the recipe of independent co website.
