fondue

The tradition of fondue originated in Switzerland, when poor people needed to make a meal from stale bread.  They heated cheese, made into a melted sauce, and put it on the bread…or dipped the bread in it.

“A fondue is simply a mixture of melted cheeses with wine to keep it liquid.  Flavourless starch prevents the cheeses from separating, while garlic and Kirsch add extra flavour.”

“In Switzerland the cheese mixture would comprise Emmental, Gruyere and Appenzeller or raclette, while the French favour Comte or Beaufort.”

– The World Encyclopedia of Cheese, Hermes House, 2010.