Fondue for One

Fondue is traditionally a wonderful way to share food with family and friends. Yet sometimes you crave to have the hot cheese bowl just for yourself.

I found this Swiss cheese matured in mountain spruce rind produced by Willi Schmid, a Master of Cheese at the Chäsi Lichtensteig.
The spruce adds a distinct spicy pine aroma to the strong flavour of the cheese. Made from cow milk, the consistency is soft and creamy, ideal for melting. The size of the cheese is just perfect for a one portion Fondue.

I am aware this cheese is not easily available. One can do the same with any soft-creamy cheese with a firm rind. Placed in an oven-prove dish slightly larger than cheese should do the trick.

Instead of melting the cheese in a ceramic bowl, I just placed it on a heat prove plate and melted the cheese in the oven.

 

Ingredients
400 g 1 Bergfichte (Mountain Spruce) cheese
350 g
 Small bite-size potatoes or pieces of cubbed bread
  Pickled onions, gherkins ...

 

Preparation
  1. First, remove, as thinly as you can, the top rind of the cheese with a long knife. Leave the spruce rind on the cheese, as it holds the cheese together while it melts in the oven.

  2. Heat the oven to 180° C.

  3. Cook the potatoes in salted water and keep them warm. Alternatively cut a loaf of bread with a crusty outside into mouth-size cubes.

  4. Place the whole cheese on a heat prove plate and melt the cheese in the oven. It takes about 15–20 minutes to get it soft.
    Poke with a fork to test the consistency. Once the cheese is melted and creamy serve it on the hot plate immediately.

  5. Poke the potatoes or bread cubes on to forks and dip them into the creamy cheese – enjoy!