The first day of Spring is only a couple of weeks away but we are still being slammed with snow and cold temperatures in Maine. When we were in Switzerland a few years ago we saw the most magical snow showers in Gruyères, the flakes were so fluffy and falling in slow motion they didn’t seem real.
When Andrew and I went on an epic road trip across France into Switzerland in 2015 one of our must dos was to have fondue in Switzerland. We took a little day trip to Gruyères from Lausanne because if you’re going to have fondue in Switzerland you need to have it where they make the main ingredient!
Gruyères is a medieval town with foot traffic only. There is a large parking lot at the base of a high hill and you must walk up to the small town. We explored the chateau or castle that was perched at the top that was built in the 13th century. The Grue, or crane, was represented on the flag and on many windows in the chateau and was what inspired the name Gruyères.
After exploring the chateau and a few of the stores we popped into Le Chalet for lunch. It was super cute inside and they had exactly what we wanted on the menu. The fondue was ridiculous! We got fondue for two and it came with more food then we could possibly eat. A basket of potatoes, pearl onions, crusty bread, carrots, a meat plate, pickles…just so much food. Andrew was very happy.
Snowy days like today bring me back to that magical snowfall and gooey fondue that we had in Gruyères. It is such a special place and one of the most beautiful little villages we have visited.
As you know, Andrew loves to cook and it quite good at it. The fondue we had in Gruyères was quite similar to one that he’s been making for years. It’s so comforting on a snowy day.
Andrew's Swiss Fondue
Ingredients:
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 ¼ cups dry white wine
- 1 tablespoon Kirsch or Dry Sherry
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 6 oz Gruyere shredded
- 6 oz Emmentaler or Swiss cheese shredded (you’ll want about 2 cups of combined cheese)
- Black pepper
- Salt
- Nutmeg, freshly grated (if you don’t have whole nutmeg, omit)
Directions:
Rub the inside of a pot with a halved clove of garlic; discard garlic.
Heat the white wine on med.-low until very hot but not boiling. Stir in 1 Tbsp. Kirsch or brandy.
Meanwhile, toss the shredded Emmentaler or Swiss cheese and the shredded Gruyere cheese with flour until well mixed.
Add cheese, a handful at a time to the wine, whisking constantly until cheese has melted and mixture is thick and smooth. Stir in 1/8 tsp. black pepper and a pinch of nutmeg.
Transfer to your fondue pot.
Serve with good crusty bread and veggies of your choice (cauliflower, broccoli, and steamed fingerlings are excellent)
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