History of Fondue
Fondue, as we know it today, comes to us from Switzerland. The word ‘Fondue” is French and it means “to melt.” The name fits nicely when you are talking about cheese fondue or chocolate fondue, which involves melting. But, today fondue has a much wider definition.
The essence of fondue is communal eating with many people seated around a fondue pot, using fondue forks to spear foods that are heated, dunked or cooked in sauce, oil or broth.
This is a wonderful image, and it is certainly the reason why Fondue is such a popular cuisine for parties and family meals. But in history, Fondue did not get started because people were looking for a fun way to get together.
The real history is much more practical. Fondue was created because before the invention of refrigeration, cheese and bread were made in the summer and fall and then stored to last through the winter. But hard bread and hard cheese is both unappetizing and difficult to eat. This was the reason fondue was invented!
The Swiss figured out that if hard-as-rock cheese was heated with wine over a fire, it would melt and not only become edible, but would be delicious. Likewise, hard chunks of bread that were too stale and hard to eat by themselves, became soft and pliable when dunked in the melted cheese.
What started as a practical method of using up bread and cheese in the winter months, soon became a social custom. What could be more warming or inviting than the image of a family or family and friends huddled around a cheery fire with a large fondue pot, each using a fondue fork to dunk a piece of hard bread in the bubbling hot cheese. The combination of this appealing image and the fact that the dish itself tastes so good is the reason why the fondue tradition has lasted for centuries and is enjoyed the world over.
Fondue history reports that the fondue cooking method dates back to the 18th century when both cheese and wine were important industries in Switzerland. The simple-to-prepare meal used ingredients that were found in most Swiss homes. And fondue is not limited to cheese and chocolate.
Cheese Fondue: Most recipes for traditional Swiss style fondue call for a combination of two cheeses, Gruyere and Emmenthaler. They are combined because either cheese alone would make for a mixture that was either too sharp or too bland.
Most recipes call for the cheeses to be melted in a dry white wine. This helps to keep the cheese from the direct heat as it melts, as well as to add flavor. Kirsch (a clear cherry brandy) was added if the cheese itself was too young to produce the desired tartness. Adding garlic gives the flavoring a good mellow taste, while the flour or cornstarch helps to keep the cheese from separating.
Meat fondue, or Fondue Bourguignon, were said to originate centuries ago in the Burgundy region of France. Here, when the grapes were ripe, harvesting was a priority. There was no time to prepare a formal midday meal because there was too much work to be done to harvest the grapes. Legend has it that a lazy monk came up with the idea of heating oil to dunk-cook pieces of the meat taken from the Abbot's private supplies, so that he could eat on the run. The Swiss picked up on the same idea and credited the Burgundian grape pickers by calling it Fondue Bourguignon.
Fondue Court Bouillon, a lighter and healthier style of fondue, originated in the Far East. Many years ago a Swiss gentleman who was traveling in China was served a dish called Chrysanthemum, using a cooking pot of bouillon. Because the basic idea of dunk-cooking in this dish was so similar to the Swiss Fondue principle, he told Swiss chefs about it when he returned and they developed the dish known as Fondue Court Bouillon.
Chocolate Fondue is not from Switzerland. It is a uniquely American invention and was created by the advertising agency for a Chocolate company that was looking for an inventive way to build sales. Unlike cheese or meat fondues, chocolate fondue is considered a dessert dish with diners using fondue forks to dip strawberries, cherries and pretzels into the warm delicious melted chocolate.
Fondue in America
Fondue became a craze in the United States in the used to be a popular dish for dinner parties in the fifties, sixties and seventies. Fondue is again starting to regain popularity and people are searching for new ways to entertain and new tastes that can be prepared and served at home. Fondue is one of the few communal dining experiences where diners share not only the food, but the heating source as well.
Fondue Sets Today
To meet the demand for more and better fondue sets, consumers now have their choice of a vast array of fondue sets, fondue pots, fondue forks and fondue accessories. There are stainless steel fondue sets, ceramic-covered fondue sets, cast iron fondue sets and more. You can choose a fondue pot that is heated by sterno flame or one that is heated by electricity. There are numerous books and articles devoted to fondue recipes as well accessories and implements to help make your fondue experience more satisfying.