It's all Swiss to Me!!!

The other day a customer asked what combination of cheeses I would recommend for making fondue. While there are a few different types of Swiss cheese with the iconic holes, there are many more alpine styles. I sent him on his way with Gruyere and Emmentaler because that's what we had...but it made me start to wonder why not Jarlsberg? It looks pretty similar, although it's from Norway. And I've also seen Grand Cru in prepackaged kits (although that's the French version). Swiss cheeses seem to have a mild taste, so aren't they just interchangeable? How do you choose what proportions of each to mix? My guess was that the difference has to do with fat content, melting point, and the way the flavors and textures change under heat. I've never actually made fondue before (though I've enjoyed eating it), but I know wine is involved so maybe that also influences which you might choose?

The story of fondue is this: it originated as a peasant dish that was eaten during the winter. It was warm, hearty, and most importantly required only a few ingredients that didn't even have to be fresh. What more could you ask for when there's six feet of snow outside, and a town nowhere in sight? In my family we call that an improvised 'bottom of the fridge' meal. It was for survival, not exactly meant as the crowd-pleasing appetizer that it often is now.

Because the herds grazed on wild fresh grasses in the summer, and the geography of the Alps has so much variation, the taste of place really comes through. The unique herbs, flowers, and grasses found on a particular mountain-side make each wheel of cheese taste different.

Here is an infographic about which countries produce which alpine cheeses:

I'll get into how various cheeses melt in a future post. What else are you curious about?