Fondue is fantastic, fondue is (palate) pleasure, fondue is fromage! But: not all fondue is created equal ...! We favor a particularly rich blend of three cheeses from Savoie: the so-called "Fondue Savoyarde". For this, take one-third each of Beaufort, Comté Extra, and French Emmental. An absolute delight!
Beaufort brings the spice, Comté its fine nutty aromas, and Emmental a certain fruitiness. Above all, however, the latter ensures creaminess, as it is much softer and more elastic than the other two mountain cheeses, which are firmer and more crystalline, and has even better melting properties.
Ingredients:
- 1/3 Beaufort
- 1/3 Comté
- 1/3 French Emmental
- 2 - 3 glasses of dry white wine, such as Contraste branco or Saumur blanc
- optional: Kirschwasser and a clove of garlic
- Cubed white bread for dipping
Preparation:
Remove the rind from the cheese and cut the cheese into small cubes. If you like, you can rub the fondue pot or another large pot with a clove of garlic. Add the cheese cubes and wine to the pot and melt the cheese over low heat. Stir regularly, and—listen closely, here comes a fun fact—the true Savoyard swears by stirring with a wooden spoon and not in circular motions, but in figure-eights. Supposedly, this makes the fondue even creamier.
Optionally, you can also add a capful of Kirschwasser to the fondue at the end. But attention: it can quickly become very intense. Personally, we prefer the pure version without the schnapps. If in doubt, you can always drink it on the side, if you feel like it ... Alternatively, we also recommend finishing with the fine Dr. Jaglas bitter elixirs from artichoke or ginseng.
Our wine recommendation for fondue:
First of all, it is very important that you cook with the same wine you drink (preferably while cooking). White wine is a better match than red wine, and it shouldn't be too fruity, because that doesn't go well. We recommend either the Contraste branco from Portugal or, from France, the Saumur blanc from the Loire.
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By the way, it doesn't always have to be fondue or the classic raclette with real raclette cheese. Here are our other cheese tips for winter: As an alternative to classic raclette cheese, we recommend Saint-Nectaire, which also has excellent melting properties and is also well suited for thickening sauces. Or also Ardi Gasna, a sheep's milk cheese from the French Basque Country. And fondue can also be made with 1/2 Comté and 1/2 Abondance or or or ... the possibilities are virtually endless! Just ask us, we are happy to advise you!
