Michael Field's Traditional Swiss Cheese Fondue
Bydrumsullivan
Test Kitchen-Approved
- Serves
- 4-6
Michael Field was a peer of Julia Child, James Beard and Craig Claiborne until his untimely death at the age of 56 in 1971. This fondue is from "Michael Field's Cooking School" and it has been the "go-to" fondue recipe for my family and friends for almost forty years. I've made a few changes over the years but the basic technique is just as it was in the original version. We usually serve it with bread cubes, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, prosciutto, apples and pears. - drumsullivan
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and cut up coarsely
- 1 1/2 pound imported swiss cheese (I use half Gruyere and half Emmenthal)
- 4 tablespoon flour
Featured Video
I have to admit that I am a fondue virgin. I've never eaten or made fondue. Michael Field's Fondue is described as being a traditional fondue and therefore seemed like a good place to start. The ingredients are minimal – Swiss cheeses, white wine, garlic, and flour. Making the fondue was simple but I am grateful the instructions stated to slowly add the cheese. (I was tempted to add it all at once.) The end result was a beautiful, smooth fondue, with a mild flavor that dripped from the bread – just like the picture.
Directions
- Step 1
Grate the cheese, mix the grated cheese thoroughly with the flour in a bowl and cover the bowl to keep the cheese from drying out
- Step 2
Combine the wine and the cut-up garlic in a non-reactive pot, bring to a boil and continue at a boil until the wine is reduced to about 2 2/3 cups, then remove the wine from the burner and remove the garlic from the wine
- Step 3
Return the reduced wine to a boil, then lower to a simmer and begin adding the cheese mixture a handful at a time, stirring constantly until all the cheese has been added and the mixture is a smooth, creamy mass