Switzerland – Cheese Fondue

by Umer Butt

ABOUT THE DISH

Cheese Fondue is an Swiss classic dish which is melted cheese inside of an communal pot, or fondue pot. This communal pot is like an traditional feature of this dish. This dish goes way back 5-6 centuries and has a big place in the Swiss history. Fondue is used along with many dishes as many different stuff can be dipped in it as it gives food new dimensions of taste. Making it is so easy and tasting it is priceless. It is one of the best dishes of the Swiss cuisines and has been famous for a long time now. It is an absolute people favorite and a winter season delight dish. The exquisite taste of the cheese when it melts in your mouth gives an sensation that cannot be described. There have been many variations of this dish throughout the years and they all varies from country to country. This dish is epic and is very easy to make and in the restaurants there is a high demand of it. Many restaurants charge high price for it but it is all worth in the end

ORIGIN

The origin of this dish is in Switzerland but the exact date is not confirmed but there are some small details given regarding through which we can speculate when it was first made.

HISTORY

The earliest recipe of fondue was found in 1695 which instructed to cook it with cheese and wine together but later in the 19th century there was a recipe of cheese fondue in which eggs were added into the cheese. The eggs were like an scrambled egg which was added to cheese. The modern recipe of cheese fondue which is used nowadays used the oldest recipe of wine and cheese and made this popular among the people of Switzerland and now the whole world. This all led to the creation of this dish and nowadays it is regarded as the best dish of the Swiss cuisine.

NATIONAL DISH

As a way of increasing cheese consumption the Swiss Union declared this dish as the national dish of Switzerland in 1930. From that point onwards fondue has become a family favorite and the whole countries special delight. Fondue is now a symbol of Swiss unity. There are even slogans about fondue and they go like this: “La fondue crée la bonne humeur” which means ‘fondue creates a good mood’ .

INGREDIENTS TO MAKE IT

• Cheese (Any) 1 lb.
• Garlic 1 clove
• Cornstarch 1 Tbsp
• White wine 1 cup
• Nutmeg

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT REQUIRED

• Electric Fondue Pot

STEPS TO MAKE IT

• Grate the cheese with a grater and place it in a bowl and add cornstarch in it

• Add 1 cup of dry white wine to the pot .
• Add in the corn starch and mix the pot regularly.
• Add nutmeg
• Once all the cheese is melted and the mixture is smooth you are ready to serve it.
• Present it by serving the fondue next to a dish which needs dipping
• Your dish is ready
• Enjoy

TIME NEEDED TO MAKE IT

PREPERATION TIME : 10 minutes
COOKING TIME : 20 minutes
TOTAL TIME : 30 minutes
YIELDS : 3-4 servings

NUTRITION FACTS

• Protein 15.17
• Fat 14.5
• Fiber 0
• Iron 0.42
• Cholesterol 48.6
• Vitamin A 2%
• Vitamin B 4%

HEALTHY OR NOT ?

Now if we tall about health wise fondue is not recommended to be eaten every single day because it contains huge amounts of fat but nevertheless a person can eat it twice a month with no harmful affects.

MY PERSONAL OPINION

As far as my opinion goes everything with cheese is perfect to eat and if there is a dish which is all around cheese then it is heaven on earth. Cheese fondue is an absolute classic and can be made with all different kinds of cheese so it is not hard to try it at home and enjoy. I recommend it to everyone to try it and have it as a side dip for other dishes because its flavor goes with every food palate. And as far as the national dish of Switzerland is concerned it absolutely nails that box.