Your fondue
What this solves
Most fondue guides say "200 g per person" — but that's the supermarket-bag figure. Real restaurant fondue is 600–800 g for 2 people as a main course. And the wine pairings most blogs list miss the local rule: a crisp Chasselas or Fendant, not a big red. This tool computes both.
It also surfaces the crash-prevention rule that cafés in Switzerland know well: "If you drop your bread in the caquelon, you buy a round." Avoid the embarrassment by being told the rules before you sit down.
How to read the results
- Cheese total in grams, with the split shown for blends.
- Wine is a Swiss AOC white — Chasselas from Vaud, Fendant from Valais, or Johannisberg.
- Crash rules are local convention. They are not laws.
- Bread + sides — a baguette and some cornichons + pickled onions are essential.
What this tool ignores
- Kirsch quantity (tradition says add 2 cl per person, but it's optional).
- Cooking method (caquelon rubbed with garlic) — assumed done.
- Restaurant pricing — most restaurants charge CHF 25–35 per person for fondue.
Common questions
Can I use Emmentaler instead of Gruyère?
You can, but the fondue will be less rich. Emmentaler has more water and less fat. For best texture use Gruyère AOP (or Vacherin Fribourgeois for the Fribourg version).
What if my fondue splits?
Heat dropped too low. Add a teaspoon of cornflour mixed with kirsch and stir vigorously. Or add a small piece of cold cheese — the cold shock can rescue it.
When is the tradition "women don't stir"?
It's a Folklore saying — historically, women who stirred the fondue wouldn't marry that year. Today it's a joke, not a rule. Anyone can stir.