Luxembourg cheese fondue is amazing! A melty (and yellow!) pot of cheese to oneself, or to share, with an assortment of different things to dip and try! What's not to love?
Fondue's origins are disputed. A hotpot of melty cheese, emulsified into some kind of liquid, is a practice with evidence that dates back as far as the Ancient Greeks. A dish of melted goat's cheese with wine is described in Homer's Iliad, written in the 8th Century BCE. It likely, though, that this was a common practice throughout the ages, essentially having grown up alongside the art of cheesemaking itself.
The name 'fondue', from French fondre [to melt], hints at its modern popularization. Switzerland is widely considered to be the country with the best claim to 'inventing' the modern dish, with a description strongly reminiscent of modern fondue-preparation -cheese with a binder, emulsified in wine, served in a communal bowl on a purpose-made stove - found in a 1699 Zürich cookbook.
The name fondue was likely applied by the French, in neighbouring Savoy (became part of France in 1792, then permanently in 1860), a region also famous for its cheeses. The name was promptly adopted by the French-speaking Swiss from just over the border, and spread from there to German-speaking parts of Switzerland and soon, to the rest of the world. So it would seem that the French also have a pretty good claim to the world-famous cheese pot!
What time is it? Cheese o'clock!
French-Speaking Luxembourg can't claim to have invented the fondue in any way. It just inherited a good idea from its neighbours. Still, somehow, we can get a feeling of Luxembourg by taking what's local and mixing it up with the best from their neighbours from the German, French and Dutch worlds. I.e. By mixing French cheeses, with Belgium beer and German bread you can come up with something that feels like Luxembourg and is oh-so delicious. It gives a new meaning to the term 'melting pot'!
Cheeses
Whole scientific papers have been devoted to the what and how of cheese fondue! My approach relies more on my belly (all three colors) than on my brain, massive though it is. My belly tells me that the tastiest way to make cheese fondue to is carefully blend at least two cheeses and take some steps to ensure that the mixture doesn't burn or split when you are heating it all up. Easier said than done. For the two cheeses, you're going to want something that is very good at melting, together with something that's full-on for flavor.
Here's some examples for good, melty cheeses:
Berdorfer (A Luxembourg cheese variety)
Emmentaler
Young Gouda
Mild Cheddar
Brie
Fontina
In addition, here's some examples of full-on flavorful cheeses:
Comté
Gruyere
Aged Cheddar
Raclette
There are plenty of other kinds of cheeses that can be used. You should adapt and experiment with local varieties to find your personal favorites, and pioneer the cheese fondue that's representative of your own home!
Cheeses to avoid, in my opinion, are things like spreadable (e.g. ricotta) or cream cheeses, cheeses that are very dry and thus burn easily (e.g. Parmesan) or cheeses that have a very strong flavor that might overpower the rest, e.g. Smoked or Blue Cheeses. That's not to say that these shouldn't be used in a fondue, just that they don't fit super well to this specific recipe!
Beer
Beer is the emulsifying liquid here, and it pairs excellently with cheese. Again, while there aren't really rules here (go with what you like!), the general advice to offer is to avoid anything too sour (e.g. IPAs), or too light (e.g. Kölsch). In my opinion, it's best to aim for something darker, though I would still avoid the darkest of the dark (e.g. Stout) for the same reason as some of the strongest cheeses - they tend be overpowering. Some of my favorite beers to use:
Belgian Brown Ale (e.g. Leffe Brune)
German Kellerbier
German Altbier
Blonde Wheat beer/Golden Ale
Malt Soda (for alcohol free experience!)
Dip-dip-dip!
Finally, the most fun part of any fondue - deciding what to dip into your pot of melted cheese! Here, you can really let your imagination take you to wherever you feel like going!
As always, the key is to experiment. Here's a few things to get you started:
Bread - the original is always the best! Try French baguettes or German walnut bread. Avoid anything too soft or too dark
Other kinds breads - Bagels, Soft Pretzels, Pitas, Focaccia - whatever you've got!
Apples - Apples dipped in cheese are amazing! A mix of red and green keeps it fun
Mushrooms - Cooked, or even breaded
Cornichon pickles
Carrots
Potatoes - Try some boiled or whole-roasted new potatoes
Salamis or mini sausages
Meatballs, cooked
Cherry Tomatoes. The sweeter, the better
Bell Peppers
Cooked Cauliflower or Broccoli florets
Finishing thoughts
One important thing to remember when making cheese fondue is that it can easily split - i.e. the cheese and the liquid separate into two different layers. While one can rescue their fondue with some aggressive mixing (a hand-held electric mixer works well!), you can use a binder, such as flour or corn starch, to avoid this happening.
You might also consider some optional, additional flavors to add to your pot before you get to dipping. Dried, frozen or fresh herbs are a great way to add a bit of freshness, while fresh garlic often complements cheeses very well. Other spices that work great include smoked paprika, white pepper, or a dollop of Dijon mustard. You can also add a little cream or butter for added richness, and a pinch of salt.
Luxembourg Cheese Fondue
Ingredients
1 bottle (~330 mL) dark Belgian beer
2 cups Luxembourger Berdorfer cheese
2 cups Gruyere cheese
NOTE: Don't use pre-shredded cheese, if you can avoid it
1-2 tablespoons corn starch, or as needed to lightly coat cheese
1 clove fresh garlic
1 tablespoon thinly chopped chives
Stuff to dip into your fondue! (Bread, fruits, veggies, meats, pickles...)
Also recommended
Fondue-set with burner and fondue forks
Fuel (liquid or gel fuels)
Lighter or Matches
Hard wood or stone mat (to absorb heat and catch splashes!)
How to do it