Fondue Chinoise
- Annemarie Bolduc
- Jun 18, 2020
- 2 min read
The story behind Québec's favourite communal fondue feast.
Whenever I mention fondue chinoise to Australians, I usually have to explain that despite its name, the Québec version contains no Asian ingredients at all. The dish is inspired by the communal Chinese hot pot and shares similarities with Swiss fondue traditions, but over time, it evolved into a distinctly Québecois feast. Alongside cheese fondue and fondue bourguignonne, it became especially popular in North America during the second half of the twentieth century. Many people of my generation grew up enjoying these long, convivial meals with family and friends during the holidays and other special occasions.
At the centre of the table sits a pot of hot broth, often enriched with red wine, in which guests cook thin slices of meat before dipping them into a variety of sauces. Like many fondue traditions, it comes with its own playful rules. One of the best-known says that if you drop a piece of food into the pot, you must kiss the person sitting on your left. In a fondue for two, I suppose that means you can kiss the person on your right as well!
Before moving to Australia, I had never prepared a fondue chinoise from scratch. In Québec, supermarkets stock everything needed for the meal, from ready-made broths and dipping sauces to trays of thinly sliced meats such as beef, chicken, pork, venison, duck and bison. Here in Australia, the tradition is far less common, which inspired me to create my own version at home. The recipe eventually became part of my cookbook Québec Kitchen Abroad, where it remains one of my favourite dishes for sharing with family and friends.
If you're curious to try fondue at home, keep an eye out in local op shops. The cast-iron fondue set pictured here was a second-hand treasure that cost only two dollars!
RECIPE
Find a Fondue Chinoise recipe from scratch in my cookbook, Québec Kitchen Abroad.
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