Fondue from Tolochenaz
A caquelon of melted cheese, flavored with white wine and garlic, into which cubes of bread are dipped. The Swiss dish of togetherness, bringing the table together around a single pot — just like the family evenings Audrey loved above all.
A caquelon of melted cheese, flavored with white wine and garlic, into which cubes of bread are dipped. The Swiss dish of togetherness, bringing the table together around a single pot — just like the family evenings Audrey loved above all.
Here, in my corner of Switzerland, I finally found peace. In the evening, when friends came over, we would make a fondue — we rubbed the caquelon with garlic, melted the cheese in a little white wine, and each person dipped their bread. It's a dish that requires you to stay together, to take your time. After a life of travel and cameras, this is all I wanted: my garden, my loved ones, and a warm meal shared.
- •Gruyère and Vacherin Fribourgeois — equal parts (base)
- •Dry white wine — a glass (liquid)
- •Garlic — one clove (aromatic)
- •Stale bread — according to guests (accompaniment)
- •Kirsch — a splash (flavoring)
Fondue from Tolochenaz
A caquelon of melted cheese, flavored with white wine and garlic, into which cubes of bread are dipped. The Swiss dish of togetherness, bringing the table together around a single pot — just like the family evenings Audrey loved above all.
Why this dish? Audrey spent the second half of her life at *La Paisible*, her home in Tolochenaz, French-speaking Switzerland. She tended her garden and entertained close friends with simple Vaudois country meals, including fondue, the ultimate sharing dish.
Here, in my corner of Switzerland, I finally found peace. In the evening, when friends came over, we would make a fondue — we rubbed the caquelon with garlic, melted the cheese in a little white wine, and each person dipped their bread. It's a dish that requires you to stay together, to take your time. After a life of travel and cameras, this is all I wanted: my garden, my loved ones, and a warm meal shared.
Ingredients (period version)
- Gruyère and Vacherin Fribourgeois — equal parts (base)
- Dry white wine — a glass (liquid)
- Garlic — one clove (aromatic)
- Stale bread — according to guests (accompaniment)
- Kirsch — a splash (flavoring)
Ingredients
- Grated Gruyère AOP — 400 g (base)
- Vacherin Fribourgeois AOP — 400 g (base)
- Dry white wine (Chasselas) — 25 cl (liquid)
- Garlic — 1 clove (aromatic)
- Cornstarch — 1 tsp (binder)
- Kirsch — 1 tbsp (flavoring)
- Cubed country bread — 600 g (accompaniment)
- Pepper and nutmeg — to taste (seasoning)
Method
- Rub the inside of the caquelon with the cut garlic clove.
- Pour in the white wine and heat gently, then add the grated cheeses, stirring in a figure-eight with a wooden spoon.
- When the cheese is smooth and melted, dissolve the cornstarch in the kirsch and stir it in to bind the fondue.
- Season with pepper and a grating of nutmeg.
- Place the caquelon on a burner at the table and dip the bread cubes using long forks.
How it was made : Modern fondue in the caquelon was codified in French-speaking Switzerland in the 20th century and promoted as a national dish in the 1930s. The Gruyère-Vacherin blend, cornstarch binder, and splash of kirsch became the standard in Vaud and Fribourg, the region Audrey came to know.
The contemporary twist : Finish with *la religieuse*, that fine crust of melted cheese at the bottom of the caquelon, which guests vie for — the gourmet highlight of the evening.
Audrey Hepburn · Charactorium
