Fondue and raclette are iconic Swiss dishes that celebrate cheese in all its glory. This week, my appetite could only manage one, so I went with fondue—though raclette certainly deserves its moment in the spotlight. Raclette is both the name of a cheese and the dish itself: a large wheel of cheese is warmed—either by a special grill or an open flame—until the surface melts, and the gooey, melted cheese is scraped off onto simple accompaniments like boiled potatoes, gherkins, pickled onions, or dried meats.
Fondue, on the other hand, is perhaps better known in English-speaking countries, likely because it’s easier to prepare. It features a pot of melted mixed cheeses such as Gruyère, Emmentaler, and Appenzeller, blended with white wine, garlic, cornstarch, and kirsch, a Swiss cherry brandy. Fondue enjoyed a cult following in Australia during the 1970s, where baby boomers fondly recall its exotic charm and social allure.
While traditionally cheese-based, the term “fondue” has expanded to include dipping various foods into hot liquids like broth or melted chocolate. Cheese fondue is typically kept warm over a small flame to prevent it from solidifying too quickly, making it easy to dip into.
The classic dippers are chunks of sourdough bread, but really, almost anything tastes amazing when dipped in molten cheese. I took full advantage of this, piling on a variety of raw and cooked vegetables. It might be more than usual, but it’s the perfect way to balance out the rich, artery-clogging indulgence of melted cheese and wine.
This meal was a delightful celebration of Swiss culinary tradition—melting cheese, conviviality, and a rainbow of veggies to keep things fresh.