Swiss Fondue is a dish that embodies the epitome of simplicity, conviviality and longing for the mountains, and even incorporates certain democratic values of Switzerland such as equality and solidary sharing

Who invented the one and only original “Fondue” ?

There are different stories about the origins of this Swiss national dish going around the world. The first says, that it has its origin in the West Swiss French alps called Savoy. Here poor shepherds developed the idea with the melted cheese 2800 years ago. The word fondue is french and means melted.

Others say, that Fondue is a recipe, that only back in the 50ties was nominated an official national dish. The cookbooks of the Swiss army added the recipe in the official Swiss cook books, only than it became famous in the whole country.

Which cheese to take for your fondue

One of the best-known fondue types is “Moitié-Moitié” which means “half half”. It’s  a blend of Gruyère cheese and Freiburger Vacherin cheese and has some white wine, cherries schnaps and cornstarch in it. Another classical is the fondue with Freiburg Vacherin cheese. This one is considered to be easier to digest, consists of only one type of cheese and, thanks to the addition of some water it has a creamy texture.

Depending on your preference, it is up to you to decide which other cheeses to add to the homemade fondue. For even more spice, an Appenzeller cheese could be the right choice. The savory and slightly sweet-tasting blue cheese Gorgonzola or a spicy-nutty Camembert can be ideal for a fancy fondue, too. Last but not least, it takes a dose of experimentation to find the ideal blend for oneself.

I absolutely recommend to buy fresh cheese and customize it with flavors, spices and quantity of alcohol desired. There are several ready-made Fondues that need only to be heated in the pot. It may not give you the authentic cheese pleasure, tough.

The pot where you prepare the fondue is called Caquelon, it is teflon coated, this prevents the liquid cheese from sticking at the bottom

The basic recipe

Ingredients for 4 persons

• approx. 600 of white bread
• 1 piece of garlic
• 400 g grind Gruyère cheese
• 400 g grind Vacherin cheese
• 3 d white wine
• 5 cl kirsch schnaps
• 2 tea spoons of maizena
• grind pepper
• a small amount of nutmeg

Preparation

1. Cut the bread into small pieces. Some people like the bread a little bit crispy, so you may want to cut it a few hours before you have the fondue.
2. Split the piece of garlic in two and rub the inside of the caquelon with the them. Put the cheese and the wine in the caquelon and cook them on the cook stove. Constantly stir the mixture. Add kirsch and maizena, but keep stirring. Leave them on the stove for a while, but make sure it does not overheat. The mixture tends to spill out of the pot if it gets too hot ! Add pepper and nutmeg, then put the caquelon on the burner on the table.
3. Adjust the heat so that the cheese stays at a constant temperature while eating. Put a small piece of bread on the fork, stir it gentle in the cheese and enjoy. Warning: the cheese is hot, don’t get burned.
   This menu may not be suited for small children.

Note: You may vary the mixture of cheese depending on your taste and availability. You may also use cooked potatos instead of or together with bread. Fruits as pears or peaches from the can are a pretty nice to add some extra to your fondue.

Most enjoy fondue in the alps, during a cold winter day. Once you understand how easy it is to prepare it at home, you may it even prepare on your balcony to avoid the cheese smell in the house!

Want to know where to eat fondue in Zurich? Read my December blog here!

My personal highlight: Making my own cheese up in the Bernese Emmental – Feeling the origins of this Original Swiss Cheese directly under my fingers

The whole world knows it, one of Switzerland’s heritages is the Cheese. I love to share with you the story of the Swiss Original Emmental Cheese. Let’s get into the history of this delicacy with the famous holes.

The name of the cheese comes from the valley of the Emme located in the canton of Berne. Hundreds of years ago the farmers stayed at the alp from summer to winter. To survive during their stays they needed food! Soon they found out, that with the remaining milk of the healthy cows cheese can be created to still the hunger.

What makes the Emmental region unique

The region of Emmental is famous for its wide green juicy fields and happy cows. They graze peacefully, following their instinct to eat so much that their udders explode. Around 120 farmers belong to a corporation that delivers fresh high quality milk to produce the Original Emmental Cheese. The farmers feed the animals with healthy power food as soy or barley for example but also grass and hay (not silage). The cows live in a healthy and clean surrounding. These farmers know, that the care for their animals is essential to get quality milk for the Emmental Cheese.

How to recognize the one and only original Emmentaler Cheese AOP

It comes with a diameter of 80 to 100 cm, weighs 75 to 120 KG  and follows a maturation of at least 4 month in a selected cheese cellar. He contains little amount of salt and a unique nutty-mild aroma. The holes are probably the most typical feature of the Emmentaler AOP. They are cherry to nut sized and arise during the ripening process. The temperature and the humidity play an important role on the maturation process.

Did you buy a piece of Emmental? Want to know where your Emmentaler AOP was made? It’s easy and unique to track that. On every piece of Emmentaler AOP, you will find a cheese number on the bark, that is the number of the cheese dairy in which your Emmentaler AOP was made. Find out where your Emmentaler AOP comes from. Get more here.

Why does the AOP Emmentaler Cheese have these typical holes?

The bacteria begin to ferment and get trapped in the milk. They give give off carbon dioxide, and the carbon dioxide forms bubbles in the cheese. The Emmentaler AOP exists in various degrees of maturity. There are mild and more aromatic ones. The aromatic “reserve” one is matured for at least 8 months, the extremely aromatic “Höhlengereift” (cave-aged) are matured for at least 12 month.

What means AOP

The Emmental is AOP certified. AOP means: Protected term of origin. This official quality mark is reserved for traditional products with deep-rooted regional origins. Once protected designations have been registered by the Swiss Federal Office of Agriculture, they may only be used for products that meet the specified requirements regarding origin, production and quality. Independent certification centers check that these standards are adhered to. For the AOP cheese the use of any additives is prohibited, as is the use of genetically modified ingredients.

Where to experience best how this Swiss Original Cheese is made from scratch – The Emmentaler Schaukäserei

Find four cheese dairies from different eras at the Emmentaler cheese factory The Küherstock (1741), the Chäshütte (1900), the old village dairy (1954) and the show dairy (1989). We start our tour at the old Küherstock, where Karin introduced us to the authentic way of creating the cheese called Mutschli.
I am fascinated about the ancient huge pot where the milk is fired on the wood and cheese processed to the shape of a round loaf. We have the privilege to help her in the production steps of the cheese making.

It’s a unique sensation to have fresh produced soft cheese under the fingers.

As of 1989 the fabrication takes place in modern production facilities. This is where our tour continues. Here we have the honor to put the original label on a huge original Emmental Loaf. Beside that we learn about the importance of hygiene and security tracking of every single instrument used for the production of the cheese.

Are you planning a trip with friends & family to Emmental?

Absolutely consider to stop at the showdairy from April to October: 09.00 – 18.30 and from November to March: 09.00  – 17.00. Get all of the information here.

On our trip we had the chance to visit one of the 120 farmers that deliver the milk to the cheese factory. It’s the farm of Roland Ryser he manages in third generation with his family. The house is from 1766. A typical construction from the region of Emmental. The garden transmits much care and love in every detail. I can feel why cows here are happy, they get professional care and are fed with high quality food. Brand ambassador and “Schwingerkönig” Matthias Sempach introduced us to the food concept chosen for their animals. I was curious enough to even try one of their feed sort!

In the Emmental the large residential houses with stables attached are traditionally built in wood. The enormous hipped roofs are very typical. They reach down low on both sides of the building.

Where is the Emmental stored until it gets his unique Original taste?

Every Emmentaler AOP loaf ripens naturally for at least 120 days to develop its mildly nutty flavor and the typical holes. This happens first at the cheese dairies and then in a larger cheese cellar such as the one from Gourmino AG we visited. Here the “affinage” takes place.

Affinage: The art of aging your cheese gracefully

You cannot imagine the intensity and variety of odors that come together in such a cellar. Here is where I tasted the first piece of a 3 years old Emmental Cheese ever in my life. An intense aromatic Emmental never tried before. Unique.

The last step on our Blogger Trip was the visit of the an historical mill. Caci’s Mühle is a construction from the year 1969, today renovated to a true pearl for events. The house is managed by a wonderful family that puts plenty of care and creativity you notice at first sight. The house is open to public and can be rented for special events. Here we had the honor to cut the a piece of a aged Emmental Cheese and enjoy a true Emmentaler brunch Caci style!

A special thank you for this unforgettable tour goes to Mimmo Caci. He shared with us all of his knowledge and passion of the Emmentaler Cheese story and Luana Monopoli. And of course to the wonderful staff of Compresso that organized our days to be magic & unique.

In the mood to get inspired by more  blog stories & Swiss specialities? Get more here.