Freeze fondue mixture.

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21
Almost certainly that's already a mix, but it should certainly tell you what cheese types are actually in it, rather than just such a generic name. No. there is no such thing as "Fondue Cheese" in real life.

Mixes/recipes nearly always include at least two cheeses, with several 'standard' mixes like 'moitié/moitié' (half and half of Gruyere and Vacherin de Fribourg) usually found in Supermarkets. Many other mixes use three cheeses, often including Emmental or Appenzeller, but there's so many different recipes it's not worth listing.

What I've done on occasion is to go to the cheese counter and ask their advice, particularly if I'm adding something extra, like morel mushrooms, or if I'm after a particular flavour to go with specific fruits or veg used for dipping.

But really, any hard cheese can work, it's entirely up to you.

We used to do some interesting ones when we lived in the UK, with British cheeses, often with some other liquor rather than wine. IIRC one of our favourites was a Shropshire Blue and Red Cheshire combination, with dry cider. Went great with apple as an accompaniment.

22
Ready made Fondue mixes are like any ready made food - generic, bland, as the vendors want to cater to as many customers / tastes as possible. So the ready made supermarket moitié/moitié mix will use cheap and bland cheeses which hint at Gruyère and Vacherin.

That's OK to be introduced to Fondue. However, Fondue was not invented by a sophisticated cheese connoisseur, traditionally it was an opportunity to use up whatever drops of wine, bits of cheese and bread (and whatever else) left over. Somebody found adding a bit of garlic a good idea, and the Kirsch was thrown in for good measure...

So Fondue is an experiment in process. As already mentioned by other posters, any cheese which can be grated can be used. Beware of soft cheeses however, I thought adding a Brie would make the Fondue smooth and creamy - forget it, it turned out to be lumpy beneath a layer of something oily.

Also the Parmiggiano (Parmesan) will not work as it needs higher temperatures to melt.

Gruyère, Appenzeller, Emmentaler, Tilsiter, Vacherin are all good to start off with. Cheeses from the Savoy region of France are typical ingredients, but I'd say, experiment with whatever you please.

As for freezing - that is perfectly OK. I discovered that keeping cheese meant for a Fondue in the freezer for a couple of weeks actually enhances the texture of the melted item - maybe not the right word: pre-frozen cheese tends not to separate so easily, that would be the better description.

As for the addition of garlic and Kirsch: Personally I wouldn't touch Fondue without a hearty addition of garlic, but that's me. Try cutting chilies into thin rings and adding that to the Fondue. Mushroom and / or bacon crisps also make a good addition. Feel free to experiment.

On a visit to Sweden I was once asked to conjure a Fondue.... how to start.... phew! Local cheese shop, try this local cheese, try that local cheese... OK, selection made. Then to the "Systembolaget" - the state-run booze pusher to find some wine, Kirsch? - forget it! Calvados will have to do...

So as for the hard stuff which goes into the Fondue - along with the lemon juice it helps to dissolve the cheese and the cheese taste is usually more powerful than the booze (OK - depending on the dosage - somebody mentioned a 25% alcohol Fondue ) it doesn't really matter.

Then there are some folks who use beer instead of wine, or even bubbly! Both work wonderfully!

Oh, and before I forget: The date printed on a cheese usually shall be interpreted as "best after..."

23
I just asked my neighbours in the Viadukt Market at Tritt Käse, they sell the best Swiss cheeses in Zürich and fantastic Fondue mixes. They don't have ANY cheese suitable for Fondue that is pasteurised, and they don't know why anyone would want it as once you've cooked it, you've effectively pasteurised it anyway.

If you still really want a pasteurised cheese fondue, just go to Migro or Coop and see what hard or semi hard cheeses they have that are pasteurised (and I really doubt there are many) and take them home a grate yourself.

But I'm with my cheese neighbours, I actually don't see any point in it.

24
I've bought most brands from COOP, Migros and Manor, and quite a few more with and without wine. I take them with me to South Africa and put them in the freezer. They taste perfect when we take them out and melt them. I do find it best for them to thaw first but if needed urgently I just pour in more wine and let the cheese melt in that.

What I also do, is buy the cheese I want, and have it grated by the shop. I then freeze that, and it also tastes just as good when made in a fondue.

I recently tried 50% Mature Cheddar, 25% Emmental and 25% Gruyere. It was actually very good.

25
Slightly off the 'frozen' topic, but I thought I'd share a fantastic book of fondue recipes that I've used on and off for >25 years. Can't find an electronic copy, sadly, but it's available in hard copy from Amazon