Cheese Fondue: Best Breads To Dip And Enjoy

Cheese fondue is a Swiss dish that gained popularity in the US in the 1960s and remains popular today. It is made by melting cheese and wine and is served in a communal pot. People dip long-stemmed forks with bread into the pot. The best bread for cheese fondue is crusty bread, such as French bread, sourdough, baguettes, and multigrain bread. Other options include rye, pumpernickel, and bagels. It is recommended to lightly toast the bread and cut it into large cubes before dipping.

French bread, sourdough, baguettes, and crusty bread are popular options

When it comes to cheese fondue, the bread you choose to dip is important. While there are many options, French bread, sourdough, baguettes, and crusty bread are popular choices. These types of bread have a crusty exterior that provides a satisfying contrast of textures when dipped into the creamy fondue. They also tend to hold up well against the thick, warm cheese, ensuring that your bread doesn't fall apart as you dip and eat.

French bread, in particular, is a classic choice for cheese fondue. Its soft interior soaks up the cheesy goodness, while its crust provides a nice bite. Baguettes, which are essentially a type of French bread, offer a similar experience and are easy to cut into dip-friendly sizes, ensuring that each piece has plenty of crust.

Sourdough bread is another excellent option for cheese fondue. Its tangy flavour and chewy texture complement the creaminess of the fondue. Sourdough also tends to have a denser crumb, which helps it stand up to the weight of the cheese without disintegrating.

Crusty bread, in general, is a popular choice for fondue as it provides a satisfying crunch and stands up well to the cheese. This could include a variety of bread types, such as a country loaf or a rustic round. The key is to look for something with a hearty crust that will provide a textural contrast to the fondue.

When preparing your bread for dipping, it's a good idea to lightly toast it, especially if you're using a softer variety. This will help the bread hold its shape and prevent it from falling apart in the cheese. Cut the bread into large cubes or slices, making sure that each piece has some crust for the best dipping experience.

So, if you're looking for the perfect bread to accompany your cheese fondue, consider French bread, sourdough, baguettes, or any crusty loaf that strikes your fancy. Just remember to toast it lightly and cut it into dip-friendly sizes for the ultimate fondue experience.

Bread should be lightly toasted, cut into cubes, and skewered

When serving bread with cheese fondue, it is important to lightly toast the bread first. This is especially important if you are using bread that may fall apart in the cheese. Lightly toasting the bread will help it to hold its shape and ensure it doesn't become soggy too quickly.

Once toasted, cut the bread into cubes. Cubes are the ideal shape for dipping into fondue as they are easy to skewer and allow for maximum cheese coverage. You could also tear the bread into chunks, but this may be more difficult to skewer and could result in cheese-less corners.

Finally, skewer the bread cubes. Fondue is a communal dish, and skewers allow everyone to dip their bread into the cheese without getting their fingers messy. Skewers also make it easier to ensure you are only double-dipping your own bread, which is more hygienic.

When choosing a bread to serve with fondue, there are many options. French bread, breadsticks, and croutons are always popular choices, but you could also consider multigrain bread, rye, sourdough, pumpernickel, or even bagels. A rustic cranberry walnut loaf is also a unique and tasty option. Just be sure to choose a bread that will hold together in the cheese and not fall apart too easily.

Other dippers include apples, broccoli, bell peppers, and potatoes

While bread is the most popular dipper for cheese fondue, apples, broccoli, bell peppers, and potatoes are also great options.

Apples, especially tart varieties like Granny Smith, complement the creaminess of the fondue nicely. Cut them into cubes for easier dipping.

Broccoli brings a bit of freshness to the otherwise dairy-heavy dish. You can dip it raw, but lightly steaming it beforehand can help smooth out bitter flavours.

Bright bell peppers add a pop of colour to your fondue spread, and their natural sweetness pairs surprisingly well with the savoury cheese. Slice them into long strips, and you won't even need a skewer—just dunk them straight into the fondue.

Finally, potatoes are a versatile option for cheese fondue. You can use baby potatoes, fingerling potatoes, or even potato chips. Just be aware that chunkier potatoes will hold up better in the thick, warm cheese than chips, which are likely to fall apart.

Pretzels, crackers, and tortilla chips are also good choices

Pretzels, crackers, and tortilla chips are all excellent choices to serve alongside cheese fondue. These snack-style dippers are a great alternative to bread, which is the most popular dipper for cheese fondue. Pretzels, in particular, are a natural pairing with cheese.

When selecting crackers or tortilla chips, wheat crackers or tortilla chips are a good option. Think of the pairing like nachos, where the tortilla chip provides a sturdy base for the cheese.

To ensure that your chosen dippers hold together in thick, warm cheese, it's important to lightly toast them beforehand. This is especially important for any dippers that may fall apart in the cheese, such as bread.

Cured meats, shrimp, and lobster can be added for protein

Cured meats, shrimp, and lobster can be added to a cheese fondue for protein. Here are some ideas and suggestions for incorporating these ingredients:

Cured Meats

Cured meats such as sausage, meatballs, and steak pair well with cheese fondue. Here are some specific recommendations:

• Premio Foods suggests that sausage is the best meat for fondue, especially authentic sweet Italian sausage. They also recommend chicken sausage with cheese and garlic.
• Meatballs can be skewered and dipped or topped with cheese.
• Steak strips or bites can be dipped into the fondue, and when paired with bread, create mini cheesesteak sliders.

Shrimp

Shrimp is an excellent choice to add a unique and fancy side to the classic cheese fondue. They can be roasted, sauteed, fried, or grilled. Here are some specific recommendations:

• A recipe from Allrecipes.com combines sour cream, cream cheese, condensed cream of shrimp soup, and Worcestershire sauce, creating a rich and creamy fondue.
• A recipe from Food.com combines Velveeta, Swiss cheese, cream of shrimp soup, cayenne, paprika, and lobster tail, and is served with crusty bread.

Lobster

Lobster can also be added to cheese fondue for a delicious and indulgent dish. Here are some specific recommendations:

• The Red Lobster Ultimate Fondue recipe from Food.com combines Velveeta, Swiss cheese, cream of shrimp soup, cayenne, paprika, and lobster tail, and is served with crusty bread.
• Langostino, crab, and petite shrimp can also be added to this recipe for a more indulgent dish.

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