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Classic Swiss Fondue

Classic cheese Fondue includes dry white wine, kirsch, Emmental and Gruyere cheeses. Each component of a traditional Swiss fondue plays an import role. Most recipes we see for “traditional” Swiss style fondue are a combination of two cheeses, Gruyere and Emmenthaler. These two cheeses are combined because either cheese alone would produce either a mixture that was too sharp or too bland. The kirsch may be omitted if your cheese is very well aged.

Classic Swiss Fondue 

Print This Recipe Total time Yield 6Source This is adapted from Gourmet Magazine’s 1966 recipePublished

serves 6

Ingredients

  • 1 garlic clove, halved crosswise
  • 1½ cup cups dry white wine
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoon kirsch
  • 2 cup emmenthaler cheese, coarsely grated
  • 2 cup gruyère cheese, coarsely grated
  • cubes of french bread, with crusts

Directions

Rub inside of a 4‑quart heavy pot with cut sides of garlic pushing to extract the juice as you work. Discard garlic. Add the wine to pot and bring just to a simmer over moderate heat. Do not boil the wine.

Create a slurry by mixing together cornstarch and kirsch in a cup, until a smooth paste is formed.

Gradually add cheese to pot and cook, stirring constantly in a zigzag pattern, not a circular motion. Otherwise the cheese will ball up and be difficult to work with. Being careful not to let it boil cook the cheese is just melted and creamy. Stir cornstarch mixture again into fondue. Bring fondue to a simmer and cook, stirring, until thickened, 6 to 8 minutes.

Transfer to fondue pot set over a flame and serve with bread for dipping.