What is fondue? Where to seek out the most effective of Switzerland's well-known melted cheese dish

THE DISH Fondue, Switzerland

PLATE UP What did fondue ever do to anybody? It pains me to see the disdain with which this dish appears to be seen. Fondue is a punchline; it is a gimmick. And but, go to its fatherland and also you realise that is really a gastronomic phenomenon. Fondue in Switzerland – and the alpine lands of Austria, France and Italy – is scrumptious. It’s wonderful. It’s an enormous pot of effervescent, melted alpine cheeses, with a bit garlic, white wine, nutmeg and kirsch (a cherry brandy). Load up hunks of bread, potatoes and different greens in your lengthy fork and dip them into this cauldron of dairy-based deliciousness, with pickled onions and cornichons on the aspect to chop by the fats and starch. This is not any gimmick.

FIRST SERVE The necessity for fondue is evident: you’ve got bought onerous cheese, you’ve got bought stale bread, it is freezing chilly exterior, what are you going to do? You’re going to soften and dip. That first occurred to the Swiss within the 1600s – the primary identified recipe was printed in 1699 – although for a very long time the dish generally known as fondue in Switzerland contained eggs. It wasn’t till 1875 that the pure melted cheese dish was generally known as fondue, and within the twentieth century it actually took off, changing into Switzerland’s nationwide dish.

ORDER THERE For that good mix of alpine cosiness and scrumptious melted cheese cauldrons, go to Restaurant Alpiglen (alpiglen.ch), a guesthouse within the hills above Grindelwald, with wonderful views and excellent fondue.

ORDER HERE Sydneysiders, make a reserving on the Matterhorn (thematterhornswiss.com.au), a devoted Swiss eatery in Turramurra that does an incredible fondue. In Melbourne, take a look at the vary of fantastic fondues at Milk the Cow (milkthecow.com.au) in Carlton.

ONE MORE THING Fondue is not restricted to cheese. Another widespread variation is fondue bourguignonne, by which hunks of beef are dipped in a sizzling combination of butter and oil. There’s additionally chocolate fondue, which certainly requires no rationalization or persuasion.