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Our Favorite Basic Fondue

Simple, yet versatile, when the weather turns cool, there is nothing quite as warming, comforting and filling as pot of fondue, with bites of baguette and lots of other things for dipping, and of course, lots of great friends to share it with.
The recipe is so simple and forgiving, and it is perfect for guests because all the preparation can be done ahead of time, and then the fondue made in a matter of minutes when everyone is ready to eat. If I had known this about fondue, I would have started making it more often, much sooner.
Make some tonight!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
CourseDinner, Main Course
CuisineFrench
KeywordAlps, Melted Cheese
Servings8

Equipment

  • A fondue pot is very helpful but NOT crucial! The first few times I made it, we did not have one. See notes.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 lb Gruyère cheese, grated Don't stress too much about exact measurements of cheese here.
  • 3/4 lb Emmenthaler grated Or Raclette cheese, which will yield a more melt-y fondue, so change the ratio to 1 lb Gruyère to 1/2 lb Raclete.
  • 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tsp freshly grated black pepper
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 2 tbsp Calvados Or kirsch or brandy
  • 1/4 tsp Nutmeg, preferably freshly grated Optional, but tasty!

Accompaniments (Please refer to notes section)

  • 1 baguette, allowed to harden a bit and cut into 1 inch chunks at least. :-)
  • 1 lb small potatoes, pricked and boiled in salted water until fork pricks easily
  • 1 lb cooked vegetables slightly steamed carrots, broccoli; roasted broccoli or cauliflower...
  • 1 lb raw vegetables, peeled and chopped into 1 inch chunks carrots, fennel, broccoli...
  • 3 cups raw fruits, cubed (2 apples, cut into 3/4 inch chunks, or grapes)
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes
  • 1/2 lb saucisson or salami cut into 3/4 inch cubes

Instructions

Preparation (can be done ahead)

  • Prepare accompaniments:
    Prep/cook any roasted, boiled, steamed vegetables, as needed.
    Cube the meats and keep aside in serving bowl. Wash and chop fresh vegetables, and keep in serving bowls. Chill meats/vegetables according to waiting time before eating.
    Cube the baguette and keep aside. We prefer to cover it so it doesn't get super hard, but true French way would be to let it get hard. :-)
  • Grate cheeses. Food processor makes extremely quick and easy work of this, even considering cleaning time for the machine. Toss grated cheese with cornstarch and fresh-grated black pepper and keep aside.
  • Mince garlic and prepare liquids and spice measurements and keep aside.

Making the Fondue

  • Heat a heavy-bottomed pot to medium. When hot, add wine and garlic until the smell of alcohol subsides and garlic is fragrant. then add cheese to simmering wine, one handful at a time, constantly stirring until cheese is fully melted.
  • Reduce heat to medium low, and add Calvados and salt/pepper/nutmeg as desired.

Notes

Accompaniments
Accompaniments listed above are what we typically do when having friends over for fondue, but we do vary it according to taste, season, and sometimes just what we have on hand. 
Cubes of baguette or other hearty (and slightly hardened) bread is a must, but to round things out you should also plan to have a selection of other items across food groups and textures. Classically, salad greens with a simple vinaigrette is also served.
Cooked Vegetables: boiled potatoes; partially-steamed carrots or broccoli; roasted veggies in bite-sized chunks (broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus...)
Raw Vegetables: carrots, fennel spears, broccoli...
Raw Fruits: cubed apple, grapes, cherry tomatoes...
Meats: cubed saucisson, salami or ham; prosciutto...
Other: cornishons (gherkins), olives...
Fondue Pot
We have run the gamut from not using a pot, to using a vintage pot from the 50s that my husband freaked out about, to investing in this solid, Swissmar Lugano pot.
I will say that it is certainly a more relaxed and enjoyable experience - both as a host and participant - when a real fondue pot is used, but if you don't have a fondue pot, here are some other options:
  • Dutch Oven - The first time I made fondue for one of our French dinners, we used our large Le Creuset pot for cooking and eating. We placed it in the center of the table and stayed warm for a good amount of time.  It was slightly awkward to get to the cheese at bottom of the large pot, but 2 adults and 4 young children managed to do it fine, and no one got hurt. A smaller Le Creuset pot to cook and serve would be great, so long as you eat relatively quickly before the fondue passes oozy, melt-y goodness into re-hardened phase.
  • Warmed smaller Le Creuset pot - We tried warming this pot in the oven while making the fondue on the stovetop and transferring it to the smaller pot for easier access.  For this option, the warmed serving pot needs to be really rally hot and isn't my favorite suggestion.
  • Smaller heavy bottomed pot, on a stand with a candle. I'm NOT advocating for precarious food hovering over open flame in your kitchen, but it's possible if you have something you think can help it stay warm and melt-y.
  • Cheese choice - Raclette is a softer cheese that lends itself to staying more oozy and melty, longer.
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