Which Types of Cheese Are Suitable For Cheese Fondue?

In principle, a fondue can be prepared from any hard cheese. Which types of cheese are ultimately used for the respective cheese fondue recipe essentially depends on the place of origin of the corresponding variant. The cheese fondue moitié-moitié (half-half) originally comes from the Swiss region of Friborg and traditionally consists of 50 percent Vacherin and 50 percent Gruyère. If only Vacherin is used, it is the cheese fondue Fribourgeoise, which also has its origins in this region.

The cheese fondue variant comes from the Appenzell region and is made from 100 percent of the cheese of the same name. The Gruyère and Emmental cheeses are used in equal parts to make the cheese fondue according to the tradition of the Swiss canton of Neuchâtel (Neuchâtel). In Central Switzerland, a mixture of one third each of Gruyère, Emmental and Sbrinz – an aromatic hard cheese similar to Parmesan – is common.

The cheese fondue recipe from the canton of Wallis (Valais) is made up of half Vacherin and a quarter each of Gruyère and Raclette cheese. For the French cheese fondue variant Savoyarde, one third each Emmental, Beaufort and Comté are mixed together. There is also a French recipe that is 100 percent Comté and accordingly comes from the Franche-Comté region.

The other ingredients and the preparation are largely similar, only the types of cheese used vary. The cheese is grated and first melted on the stove in a caquelon, a heavy ceramic or cast-iron pot. The caquelon is first rubbed with a fresh clove of garlic, which can be left in the cheese fondue to flavor it.

Dry white wine, some kirsch, and a little starch are also added to the fondue. You need to keep stirring the cheese mixture with a wooden spoon to keep the ingredients from separating. Once the cheese has melted – “fondu” in French – the caquelon is placed on the so-called rechaud. This is a small kiln with an adjustable flame.

Now everyone can stick a piece of toasted white bread (mostly baguette – for example baked according to our French baguette recipe) or toasted rye bread on their fondue fork and dip it in the cheese. At the end, a cheese crust remains on the bottom of the pot, which is considered a special delicacy. Suitable side dishes for cheese fondue are Bündnerfleisch, gherkins, and silver onions.