Billie's Kitchen

I thought I was making melted cheese. Instead, I discovered one of the world’s most sociable meals.

Swiss cuisine immediately brings cheese and chocolate to mind, but I wanted to understand why fondue had become such an iconic national dish. The more I read, the more I realised fondue isn’t simply about the cheese – it’s about the gathering of people. In a country shaped by mountains and long, harsh winters, fondue offered a practical way to make use of stored cheese while bringing people together around a shared pot.

Making fondue was wonderfully relaxing. Unlike many recipes, there was no pressure to plate everything perfectly. Once the cheese reached its silky consistency, the real enjoyment came from slowing down and sharing it.

What has shaped Swiss cuisine?

Swiss cuisine developed in a country where geography often dictated survival. Mountainous landscapes encouraged dairy farming, leading to iconic cheeses such as Gruyère and Emmental, while alpine communities relied on preserved foods to endure long winters. Surrounded by France, Germany, Italy, and Austria, Switzerland has absorbed culinary traditions from each of its neighbours, resulting in a cuisine that varies greatly between regions.

Today, hearty dishes such as fondue, raclette, and rösti sit alongside fine chocolate and pastries, reflecting both the country’s agricultural heritage and multicultural identity. Swiss cuisine shows that the landscape itself can shape the food people eat, turning necessity into traditions that have endured for centuries.

What is Fondue?

Swiss fondue is one of the country’s most iconic dishes, traditionally prepared by melting cheeses such as Gruyère and Emmental with white wine, garlic, and a little kirsch. While cheese fondue existed in Alpine communities for centuries as a practical way to use aged cheese and stale bread during harsh winters, it became an international symbol of Switzerland in the twentieth century through tourism and national promotion. Beyond the food itself, fondue is celebrated as a social meal, encouraging everyone gathered around the pot to slow down, share conversation, and eat together.

I’d always thought of fondue as melted cheese, but preparing it made me realise that the real experience isn’t the recipe – it’s the ritual. Sitting around one pot, sharing food at an unhurried pace, feels just as important as the cheese itself.

My experience with Fondue

There’s something strangely mesmerising about watching grated cheese slowly melt into a perfectly smooth fondue. It was a relaxing experience and my brain felt cleared after stirring a pot of cheese for 10 minutes!

It was also great fun choosing what to dip into the fondue – pear was my favourite accompaniment by a mile, but it felt like every combination brought something different to the dish.

Sadly, I was mildly limited in that I had no kirsch to hand, and I lacked a fondue pot, but I still made a fabulous fondue without them! Adding in a little wine makes up for the lack of kirsch, and a fondue pot turned out not to be essential!

Swiss Fondue

Recipe by Billie Delpino

5.0 from 2 votes

Course: DinnerCuisine: SwissDifficulty: ★☆☆☆☆

Servings

3-4

servings

Prep time

25

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

This fondue is smooth, creamy and heartwarming, and is a perfect excuse to bring all your favourite people together round a shared pot!

Ingredients

• 200 g Gruyere cheese (grated)

• 200 g Emmental cheese (grated)

• 250 ml white wine

• 1/4 garlic clove (minced)

• 1 tbsp corn flour

• 1/2 lemon, freshly squeezed

• 1 tsp black pepper

• 1/2 tsp nutmeg

• Accompaniments

• Pears (cored and sliced)

• Apples (cored and sliced)

• Ham (Swiss ham if possible, if not pick your favourite!)

• Fresh baguette (lightly toasted)

• Pickles

• Broccoli florets (steamed)

Directions

• In a fondue pot, or a cast iron pan, warm the wine and the lemon juice on a medium heat.
• Gradually stir through the cheeses, allowing the cheese to slightly melt and incorporate before adding more. Add in the garlic.
• Stir for 5 minutes, or until everything is fully melted and combined. It should be smoothy and creamy.
• Sieve the cornflour into the pan, add the pepper and nutmeg, and cook for another minute.
• Serve the fondue immediately (see notes), with your choice of accompaniments!

Notes

• If you have a fondue pot, great! Serve the fondue over the flame. If you don’t have a fondue pot (like me!), then you can serve the fondue, and if/when it begins to solidify again, you can just warm it over a low heat again. In fact, I served mine using a bowl over a bain-marie to keep it warmer for longer at the table. However, part of the joy of the fondue pot is the traditional crust that forms on the bottom of the fondue pot, so without the pot we are missing out!