Fondue - the pride of Swiss cuisine

According to popular belief, Fondue - Swiss national dish. Classic cooking VV Pokhlebkin says even more: "fondue - main and almost the only Swiss national dish. "

Argue about the origins of dishes does not make sense, truth is established long ago and is securely, but in the history of the origin and dating fondue with the world there are several issues that will certainly be of interest to curious gourmets.
What subsequently became known as a "fund", was born thanks to the Swiss shepherds about seven centuries ago - so says one of the theories about the origin dishes. On snow-covered alpine pastures herdsmen carried in the number of comestibles bread and cheese and wine to keep warm during the cold hours. And from the utensils with them was always a crock «caquelon», in which the fire melted the remnants of hardened cheese with wine. In this warm delicious and satisfying a lot of Swiss dipped pieces of bread. It is so looked at the dawn ceremony fondue invention of this dish.
From the fields and meadows typical dish of peasant cuisine is gradually shifted to the rich at home, where he first became a favorite with the servants, and only then got on the tables of the aristocracy. Of course, for higher light dishes are prepared with the best quality cheese and wine, and accompanied by a rich assortment of fresh bread.
How exactly the time the Swiss called their culinary creations, the story just can not say. The fact that the Swiss, unlike its neighbors, the French, did not pay particular attention to the designation of dishes. But the name "fondue" comes from the French fondre, which means "to melt". Yes, the name of a Swiss dish made it French. And this is not surprising when we remember the geographical position of Switzerland. Without a doubt, the Fondue bring to the table the Swiss nobility during the feasts to mark the arrival of the neighboring nobles from Austria, Liechtenstein, Italy, Germany and, of course, France. And the French are known passion to give their names to anything that deserves the culinary attention. In the end, once because they had to tell his compatriots about Swiss miracle!
According to another version, fondue has appeared in 18 th century in the canton of Neuchatel. This happened thanks to quick-witted farmer, going "on susekam and melt the dried bits of different varieties of cheese in a general pot.
Whatever it was, a traditional Swiss fondue, as a rule, consists of a combination of two cheeses - Gruyère and Emmental, who drowned in a dry white wine, sometimes with the addition of kirsch - cherry vodka. This is the most common recipe, since each canton in Switzerland has its own "traditional" recipe for fondue. For example, in Freiburg fondue is made from Gruyere cheese and vasherin with wine and kirsch, but the last ingredient is optional. If the fund is ready, without wine, bread, first dipped in plum schnapps, and then melted cheese. In Geneva, fondue is made from three cheeses: Gruyère, Emmental and Walliser-bergkase (Walliser Bergkase), in Geneva Foundation may be added to pieces of morels. In Glarus and shabziger Gruyere melted in a sauce of butter, flour and milk. In eastern Switzerland, fondue prefer a combination of Appenzeller and vasherina with dry cider. In the canton of Vaud (Vaud) fondue is made from Swiss cheese and garlic. And finally, in Neuchatel connect two thirds of Gruyère and Emmentaler one-third (or 1:1) with local wine.
A crucial role in popularizing fondue around the world played the famous Frenchman, Jean Anselm of Brij-Savart. Fleeing from the French Revolution, Savare spent two years in the United States, where he gave French lessons and played the violin in the orchestra of the New York theater. But his true passion was always cooking and a love of French cuisine. That Savare introduced to the Americans with fondue au fromage - cheese fondue, which became one of the favorite dishes of the French.
But public interest in this dish appeared later and reached its apogee in the 1960-70 years, when the popularity of fondue could envy of pop idols. By this time, fondue recipes and variations exist a great many, and many of them had little to do with the original Swiss dish. Those French and did managed to cook without cheese fondue! They just warmed olive oil and cooked in it bits of meat. This fondue called Burgundy, and began his first serve in his New York restaurant "Swiss chalet" chef Konrad Egli in 1956. Later, in 1964, Egli introduced the world to new culinary miracle - a chocolate fondue, which immediately won the hearts of all the sweets of the world. In the melted chocolate dipped pieces of fruit, berries or biscuits.
 
Fondue - it's not just a meal, a style of communication over the cooking fondue people spent friendships and family gatherings. Even developed a certain traditions relating to the Fund. For example, if a woman accidentally dropped her in fund its slice of bread, she had to kiss all the men sitting at a table, as if dropping a piece of a man, he had to buy a bottle of wine. If the same person dropping the bread a second time, by unwritten rule, the next time he organized fund-reception in his home and invited all those present. At least, so says the book The Fondue Cookbook of American Publishers Hamlyn Press. By itself, fondue etiquette is simple. On a long fork skewer a piece of bread (or other side dishes) and dipped in melted cheese. The plug must be a few seconds to hold on fondyushnitsey that drained excess of cheese and he himself was a bit cold. Bread should be removed from the forks be careful not to touch the mouth itself forks - after all she has to once again plunge into the overall dish. In the Burgundian fondue strung on a piece of meat to keep the plug in the hot oil as long as necessary for its availability, then a piece of meat is removed from the forks of the Fund for a la carte dish and eat already using conventional forks.
In the 1990's fondue has lost some of its positions, since at the forefront of the food came the concept of healthy eating, and apply it to the fondue was difficult, it's still a very nutritious dish. But experiments with recipes fondue continued, resulting in even getting fund-east (Fondue Orientale) - Burgundian fondue, in which the oil is replaced by the broth in a fondue is usually cooked vegetables.
Analogues of Swiss fondue can be found in other cuisines of the world. In Italian cuisine, for example, there are two similar dishes - fonduta and Banya Cauda. Fonduta made of Fontina cheese and egg yolks, and Banya Cauda - a hot sauce of butter, olive oil, garlic and anchovies, which dipped pieces of vegetables. Something similar to fondue there and in Holland, the dish is called kaasdup (KaasDoop).
Foundation - a superb dish for winter evenings. Today, fondue is popular again and can satisfy all tastes, good fondue recipes there are so many - so many that will be enough for every day of the long winter. And even more ...  
Fondue Ingredients:

    * 300 g Gruyere cheese;
    * 100 g Emmentaler cheese;
    * 1 clove garlic;
    * 2 tsp cornstarch;
    * 200 ml dry white wine;
    * Svezheotzhaty lemon juice;
    * A bit of kirsch (cherry vodka);
    * Salt and ground pepper to taste.
Preparation: Remove hard cheese with a crust, grate cheese on a grater and mix together. Prepare bread - slice it into cubes 3 cm in size and put in the basket or dish (the bread is better to take not the latest, otherwise it will crumble in the cheese).
Clove of garlic cut in half, one half of a rub with the inner surface of fondyushnitsy (then discard the garlic). Fondyushnitsu put on the burner (if it can regulate the desired level of fire) or on the stove, pour the wine, lemon juice (1-2 tablespoons), add the corn starch. Within a few minutes to heat the wine over low heat, then add cheese, salt and pepper to taste. With continuous stirring, melt cheese completely, wait until the mass begins to gently bubble. If the mass seems too liquid, add a little starch, and if on the contrary, the weight seems too thick, dilute it with wine. Finally, add a little kirsch and stir.
Put fondyushnitsu the burner (it will be warm fondue). You can turn off the burner for a while, or reduce the heat to a bare minimum, that he only warmed capacity, maintaining the temperature of fondue. Pieces of bread put on the a la carte long forks and dip in melted cheese.