Fondue is fantastic, fondue is a delight for the palate, fondue is fromage! But not all fondues are created equal...! We favor a particularly sumptuous one made with three cheeses from Savoie: the so-called "Fondue Savoyarde." For this, you take one-third each of Beaufort, Comté Extra, and French Emmental. It's an absolute delight!
Beaufort brings the spice, Comté its delicate nutty aromas, and Emmental a certain fruitiness. Above all, the latter provides the creaminess, as it is much softer and more elastic, with even better melting properties, than the other two mountain cheeses, which are firmer and more crystalline.
Ingredients:
- 1/3 Beaufort
- 1/3 Comté
- 1/3 French Emmental cheese
- 2 - 3 glasses of dry white wine, such as Contraste branco or Saumur blanc
- optional: cherry brandy and a clove of garlic
- White bread cubes for dipping
Preparation:
Remove the rind from the cheese and cut the cheese into small cubes. If you like, you can rub the fondue pot or another large pot with a clove of garlic. Add the cheese cubes and wine to the pot and melt the cheese over low heat. Stir regularly. Listen up, here's a fun fact: true Savoyards swear by always stirring with a wooden spoon, and not in circular motions, but in figure-eights. This supposedly makes the fondue even creamier.
Optionally, you can add a capful of cherry brandy to the fondue at the end. It's said to aid digestion. But be careful: it can quickly become very intense. We personally prefer the pure version without the schnapps. If in doubt, you can always just drink it with the drink if you're in the mood. Alternatively, we also recommend the fine Dr. Jaglas bitter elixirs made from artichoke or ginseng for digestion.
Our wine recommendation for fondue:
First of all, it's very important that you cook with the same wine that you drink (preferably during cooking). White wine is better than red, and it shouldn't be too fruity, as that's not a good match. We recommend either Contraste branco from Portugal or Saumur blanc from the Loire Valley in France.
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By the way, it doesn't always have to be fondue or the classic raclette with real raclette cheese. Here are our other cheese tips for winter: As an alternative to classic raclette cheese, we recommend Saint-Nectaire , which also melts perfectly and is also great for thickening sauces. Or Ardi Gasna , a sheep's cheese from the French Basque Country. And fondue also works with 1/2 Comté and 1/2 Abondance , or whatever... the possibilities are endless! Just ask us; we'll be happy to advise you!
