Gruyere fondue is a dish made from melted Gruyere cheese, often blended with Emmentaler. It is traditionally served with bread for dipping and prepared in a caquelon over a heat source. Other ingredients can include white wine, brandy, and mushrooms. It is often served as the first course of a three-course fondue dinner.
Gruyere is a type of Swiss cheese originating in Gruyere, Switzerland. Fondue is a dish of melted cheese or chocolate, but can also refer to a cooking method in which chunks of meat and vegetables are steeped in oils, broths, or wines. A gruyere fondue, therefore, is a fondue made from melted gruyere cheese. It is often served with an assortment of breads for dipping.
The word “fondue” comes from the French “fondre”, which means “to melt”. In the case of gruyere fondue, this refers to the melted cheese. While this type of fondue can be made strictly with gruyere, the result would be a little too delicate for most tastes. For this reason, Gruyere is often blended with Emmentaler, a much sharper Swiss cheese. Other common ingredients paired with gruyere cheese for fondue include white wine, brandy, butter, mushrooms, milk, flour, cider, and roasted garlic.
Like other fondues, gruyere fondue is prepared in a special dish called a caquelon. These can be terracotta or metal and come in a range of styles and sizes. Home cooks generally use a lighter, less expensive version while restaurants use a heavier, commercial version.
The ingredients for the gruyere fondue are placed in the caquelon, which is placed directly on the heat source. Traditionally, this was an open fire. Nowadays, fondue restaurants often have heat sources built right into the tables. Home use fondue sets include a small rack under the pot. A container of gel or liquid fuel is placed in the grate and lit to provide a continuous source of heat during the meal.
Bread is the traditional accompaniment for gruyere fondue. It is cut into pieces and served in bowls or on plates. Firm breads, such as baguettes and rye dough, work well for fondue, as softer breads can fall apart. Diners use a specially designed fork with a small head and long handle to cut a piece of bread and dip it into melted cheese. Dining is common, so it’s considered polite to transfer the dipped bread onto a plate or another fork rather than eat it directly from the dipping fork.
Restaurants often serve other accompaniments with cheese fondue. These can include greens, such as cauliflower and broccoli, as well as apple or pear slices. Gruyere fondue and other cheese fondues are often the first course of a three-course fondue dinner that includes a meat fondue and a dessert fondue.
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