fondue, Swiss dish of melted cheese, usually including one or more of the varieties Emmentaler, Vacherin, and Gruyère. In its preparation, white wine is heated in a heavy casserole, called a caquelon, that has been rubbed with garlic. The grated cheese is added to the hot wine along with a little cornstarch and a flavouring of nutmeg or kirsch. The fondue is eaten communally from its pot. Diners are provided with small cubes of crusty bread, which they spear on long-handled forks and dip into the hot mixture. The crust that remains at the bottom of the pot is divided among the diners.
There is a legend that the dish originated in the 16th century during fighting between the Protestant and Roman Catholic Swiss. The factions declared a truce after the day’s battle and shared a similar dish, one side providing the bread and the other the cheese.