Fondue Night, Swiss Kiss
Feb 4th, 2010 by Marilyn
At least once every winter, inspired by glittery snow that is not yet gray heaps, we break out a red enamel pot, sit in front of the fire and have ourselves a traditional Swiss fondue. We can trace this ritual to our shag-carpeted childhoods, when both our families – maybe every 70′s family – enjoyed bright fondue sets and three-packs of Sterno.
I like everything about fondue.
In the early 90′s Greg and I would go to Geja’s Cafe, the fondue institution in Chicago’s Lincoln Park, a subterranean place with stucco, flamenco tunes and delightfully curtained booths. Called “Chicago’s Most Romantic Restaurant,” it features a massive fondue menu with cheese, beef, lobster, scallops, flaming chocolate. You drink wine for two hours while you wait. You drink wine with four fondue courses, watch wine blaze your dessert, clink champagne. Then, if you are me, you pass out on the table in cheese-wine coma and, for an encore, fall out of a taxi and hurl.
Still, I like everything about fondue.
I like going to buy the cheese, and griping about the cost. Oh well, I always say, handing the cashier our mortgage, it’s only once a year. I love that it’s a one-pot meal, and prying open Sterno, and piling tart apples in bowls and drinking wine while I stir in the wine. I like forks flying, diving, and tangling under cheese. Enough tangled dipping and someone’s bound to drop an apple, or lose their bread. When that happens, tradition dictates that you kiss the person to your right…
…especially if that person is a Josie-loving Lab. Now break out that set – you know, up in the high cabinet, in the back. Pour, stir, bubble and smooch: enjoy your own fondue night.
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Traditional Swiss Fondue
adapted from The Book of Fondues
1 garlic clove, peeled and halved
1 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded Gruyère cheese
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded Emmentaler cheese
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons Kirschwasser (cherry brandy)
dash white pepper
pinch grated nutmeg
crusty French bread, cut in cubes
1 – 2 tart, firm apples (I prefer Granny Smith) cut in chunks
Rub inside of fondue pot with cut garlic clove.
Pour in wine and lemon juice; cook over medium heat until bubbling. Turn heat to low and gradually stir in cheese with wooden spoon or, for easier cleanup, a heatproof silicone spatula. Cheese will melt, but cheese and wine will appear separated.
In a small bowl blend cornstarch with Kirschwasser. Add to melted cheese mixture and continue to cook, stirring for 2 – 3 minutes, until mixture comes smoothly together. Watch carefully and do not allow fondue to boil. Season with white pepper and nutmeg, and serve immediately.
Serves 4 as a first course; double recipe to serve as main course.
A word about heat: whatever your fondue heat source, it’s a balancing act. You want it high enough to keep fondue melted, and low enough not to burn. Despite best efforts, you’ll nearly always find a small patch of burnt cheese on the bottom. French-speakers and true fondue fans love this treasure and call it “la religeuse,” the nun. I call it holy good snacking.
fondue…a fire…and great company…what could be better!
that’s some pricey cheese you have in Kansas…
I love the idea of fondue … but had a traumatic experience in Switzerland that keeps me from enjoying it to this day. I was with a large party in a nice restaurant, and I can’t remember if the menu was in French or German, but there were some words I didn’t understand … so I ordered by price. I picked a reasonable-looking appetizer and a moderately priced main course. Turned out, I ordered two of the exact same thing, only a small serving and a larger serving.
(Actually, not traumatic at all, since I’ve done that at least half a dozen times in my life. My favorite was ordering poutine, in a Canadian Air Force Base pub in France, with a side of fries. The whole staff got a kick out of that. )
Fondue night in my social circle falls on New Year’s Eve, and as we’ve done it three years in a row now, I dare say it’s become a tradition. It is completely delightful: my fiance’s best friend (who hardly cooks at all) is the one who actually makes the fondue, the rest of us show up at someone’s house bearing apples and blanched broccoli and marshmallows, we eat the cheese ‘due, then the chocolate ‘due with strawberries, then we go outside and shiver while some people smoke cigars and the rest of us drink champagne and if we’re at the right house, we watch the fireworks. I love fondue night.
I think my family might be the only one that did not do fondue in the 70s. I never even heard of it until the 90s I’d say. That wrong has been righted in my life and I occasionally make a lovely hard cider cheese fondue from a Kendall College chef’s recipe. Yum! But I ask, is it worth it to buy cherry brandy to make the original?
I just told my husband we have to move. Our apartment doesn’t have a fireplace.
What a coincidence! I had a girls night in fondue get together last weekend. I adore fondue and find excuses to make it whenever possible. Your home looks so incredibly cozy. It was obviously made for fondue parties.
Ah, fondue. In an attempt to claim a tradition as our own (and not just a hand me down from our parents) we have made fondue “Our-Traditional-Tree-Trimming-Dinner.” While it has not always gone well…five kids under 11, sharp forks, molten cheese and fire…it always leaves us happy.
What a warm and inviting idea, and a delicious looking recipe! I especially like the addition of granny apples. Lovely photos. Even if we have no need for the home fire out here, we can heat up the nostalgia!
Are you reading my mind? I just dug out my 70s Fondue Pot last night to see what kind of shape it is in. (I’m still unpacking from the move:) and lo and behold, I do believe she has quite a bit more life in her.
I’m delighted to hear you have a classic fondue on Fondue Night complete with all the trimmings. What a lovely Valentine’s Day tradition. Your remark about “hurling” reminds me of a scene out of Asterix in Switzerland:)
And to think, Marilyn, tomorrow is National Chocolate Fondue Day!!!
Thank you so much. This post was just what I needed to get me through the rest of this zestless afternoon:)
Love fondue! I inherited an avocado green fondue pot from my mother. It screams ’70′s.
I spent a college semester in Switzerland, eating fondue and chocolate (in between studying of course). Gained 15 pounds. And that’s why it’s now a once-a-year treat.
Fun post.
My daughter who is away at college just reminded me that we didn’t have fondue while she was home for winter break. So we will be having fondue while she is home for Spring break. I am going to try your recipe!
I just want to know how you knew my fondue pot was stashed at the top of my closet? I took a picture to prove to you, but then realized that my closet organization isn’t something that should be shared with the world.
Your story and pictures are enough to make me dig it out. And perhaps straighten up a bit while I’m in there.
I have an electric fondue pot … somewhere, and this totally inspires me to dig it out.
Will this work with Velveeta?
This sounds SO good! My daughter and son-in-law own two fondue pots. They fix cheese and chocolate fondues every New Year’s Eve. My son-in-law cooks cubes of meat ahead of time, and they have bread and fruit. I’m going to give her this recipe. Maybe we can have it in the near future if I buy the cheese.
MMMMM….We serve fondue in our shop on special order. It is the best! I cant believe the way people gather round a fondue pot and have such fun! Love this post…
Hugs, Rhonda
Ah, fondue! My step-father wooed my mother, and us girls, with fondue. It was a highly orchestrated evening, sitting around the fire, on the floor, watching snow fall on the deck, usually after a day of skiing, he in his chef’s apron. Every once in a blue moon now, he gets out “the forks”. Then we dip and hear stories of him courting my mother.
dahlila xxoo
I love cheese fondu. My husband makes it once in a while (though less often because of those waistlines!). Sadly we don’t have a lovely fondu set so we have to eat it very fast before it hardens. Love your photos.
We just got a requested electric fondue pot for Christmas! Can’t wait to do a fondue night, but I am still in planning mode. It will just be our family of 5, but I want to find the perfect recipe that would act as a meal & something our 3 girls will love. I want their first fondue experience to be memorable. Any ideas?
What a lovely tradition! Makes me want to run out and buy a fondue pot….
Our fondue pot, a wedding gift, is long gone. Experiments in cheesy dipping that are not Rotel Dip or Queso related have long since been relegated to the domain of dining “out”.
That said, this post makes me wish I’d not been SO durned practical to get rid of that set. The pot itself was avocado green, and each fork had a different colored earth tone knob on the end so you could keep track of which one was yours. And oh the terrors of sterno! I was always sure I’d set the house on fire. Such memories. Thanks and thanks for stirring that up!
I used this as the basis of a post on Bundle and gave you credit. Thanks!
Hey! Here is a helpful tip if you dont like sterno. I use a rice cooker with warm and cook settings to keep cheese and chocolate fondue warm while serving. We bought them for our shop at IKEA for very cheap. Very clean and easy way to serve fondue, still lots of fun!
I love fondue! I will have to give this recipe a try. Thank you! xo
M, that post and those photos just make me want to be there, in front of that fireplace in that gorgeous home. is there an ‘encore’ when you have a fondue night at home?
i didnt know about the ‘swiss kiss’ tradition, i love it. x shayma
Great traditions great recipe
I may have to put a fondue set on my Christmas list now. That looks incredible!
Holy good snacking indeed! I’m fondueing (sp?) with the ladies on Wednesday and I couldn’t be happier.
I loved how your pictures have a fire burning in the back! Makes me want to get the fireplacing going with a big ol fondue pot to munch on tonight!