The queen of the table is the cheese fondue. In Switzerland, it couldn’t be any other way.
In the Lausanne area, there are two versions. The moitié-moitié, in which the protagonists are vacherin and gruyère, strictly Swiss cheeses, and which is lighter (within the limits of lightness that a cheese fondue can reach, of course). Then there is the pure vacherin, made only with vacherin cheese.
The fondue, whatever it may be, is brought to the table in the caquelon, the special fondue pot which is placed on a rise that allows a weak flame to heat the bottom and prevent the cheese from solidifying. It is usually served with bread and if you want you can ask (and pay) for potatoes and/or gherkins.
The crust that forms at the bottom of the caquelon, which is much sought after, is called la religieuse, in honour of the nuns of the castle of Valère near Sion, who retrieved these crusts during lunch and then heated them in the evening with a candle flame and ate them.
It is advisable not to drink cold water while eating fondue because it can cause the melted cheese to solidify in your stomach and make digestion more difficult. Accompany it with a Lavaux wine instead!
