The fondue is back. New research claims we are seeing a resurgence of a 1970s dinner-party set piece. Oxford University research has concluded that the fondue’s potential as a sharing dish and conversation piece is part of the attraction, but also the comforting enveloping nature of all that melted cheese (don’t forget the digestion/heartburn remedy chaser).
The research also considers whether the fact that the dish comes from a small thriving nation outside the EU is appealing to our post-Brexit fears. In the 1930s, fondue became the national Swiss dish and was championed by the Swiss Cheese Union as part of a campaign for the “spiritual defence of Switzerland”.
Its origin is traced to isolated communities who had limited access to fresh food in the colder months so used old bits of cheese and bread, turning them into a rich, warming meal with the help of some local high-acidity white wine – this plays well with the austerity mob. So, how should you eat it?
The base
The classic is cheese, usually a mix of a nutty meltable cheese such as comte, emmenthal or gruyere with a creamier one such as fontina, reblochon or port salut.
What to dip into the fondue
Following the 70s theme, how about the renaissance of the cruditeés? A raft of raw vegetables and perhaps even some pickled ones are a good way to add a fresh element to this sleep-inducing dish. Little boiled potatoes or chargrilled leeks and squash would work well too. Instead of traditional white bread, rye bread could add some texture and interesting flavour profiles. And for some modern twists?
Welsh rarebit
Instead of the Swiss high-acidity wine go for a pale ale or gose beer, some English mustard powder and finish with a few drops of tabasco and Worcestershire sauce – with extra Worcestershire sauce to hand around with sourdough toast for dipping.
Cauliflower cheese
This will change the texture of the fondue a little but will certainly lighten it up and make it more digestible – whiz the cauliflower to a couscous consistency and blanch briefly in boiling salted water, then stir into the cheese with some grain mustard and a good pinch of mace and cayenne.
If you’re vegan
Hummus thinned down with veg stock and a bit of olive oil served with raw vegetables and flat bread makes a decent fondue alternative.
Cheese-free
You could try something along the lines of the east-Asian steamboat – a pot of boiling, well-flavoured stock (chicken, beef, fish or vegetable depending on proclivity) with vegetables and thinly sliced meat to dip in and cook.