Andrew's ingredient of the month: Swiss cheese

Switzerland is the home of some of the world's best cheeses, producing the hallmarks of mountain cheeses, studied and imitated throughout the world.

My birthday is in early November and my favourite birthday meal is cheese fondue. Perhaps this has something to do with my Swiss heritage and the dairy fixation gene that accompanies that bloodline, but brisk November air and the warmth of good rich cheese are so complementary that nothing seems more appropriate to celebrate a November anniversary.

Indulging in cheese-laden dishes can be seen as a celebration of the time of year when bodies are covered in thick layers of clothing, rather than exposed to the elements and the eyes of all sentient beings -- a little extra layer of protective fat gained through the indulgent consumption of delicious dairy fat can, really, only be a good thing.

Here's my favourite combination of cheeses to make Swiss cheese fondue: Nutty and mild Emmenthaller (the Swiss cheese with the holes), rich and sharp Gruyère (preferably well-aged for extra flavour and depth) and my family's local cheese which adds a spicy touch, the wildly aromatic Appenzeller.

These three quintessential Swiss cheeses combine to make the perfect balance of layered tastes and textures. Try it for yourself with this Swiss Cheese Fondue recipe.

When possible, buy your cheese from a really good cheese specialist. For the strictest authenticity, buy a bottle of Swiss white wine made from the Chasselas grape to add to your fondue and to drink.

A good dry Canadian Riesling is a fantastic and convenient fondue partner, as are most other unoaked (not barrel fermented) dry white wines. And do not believe those who say that fondue must be accompanied with warm drinks such as mint or herbal tea to aid digestion -- in my opinion, it's a travesty!

A wonderful fondue is enhanced with a generous dash or Swiss Kirschwasser (Kirsch) at the end of cooking. This fragrant and bone-dry cherry eau-de-vie really gilds the lily, but you can substitute with other eau-de-vies.

If Kirsch is unavailable or out of your budget, I heartily recommend the Eastern European plum eau-de-vie Slivovitz as a really good substitute. Of course, Poire Williams (pear eau-de-vie) will be wonderful.

Just do not make the mistake of using a sweetened cherry or plum brandy; it will ruin the fondue. In a pinch, I have substituted a shot of rye whiskey (but I'd rather save that for a Canadian cheese fondue of Cheddar cheese and/or Oka.

A wonderfully full-flavoured semi-soft cheese, raclette melts to perfection. You use a Raclette oven on the tabletop or, more traditionally, lay a half-wheel of the cheese beside a fire and melt the cheese, to be enjoyed with boiled potatoes, pickles and chacouterie.

Swiss cooking developed as an expression of an agricultural and dairy-farming society. Daily, people walked many kilometers up and down steep hills and mountains and rich and filling cheese dishes were a natural match for people's active lifestyles. Nowadays, many of the dishes are considered occasional treats.

For a wonderful cold-weather indulgence, try this Swiss Cheese Pie, originating from the kitchens of Emmenthal, the heartland of Swiss cheese production. A rich yeast dough supports a cheese-lover's dream of a topping.

Swiss Toasted-Flour Soup is a version of onion soup that includes cheese, of course, as an important ingredient. Another more unusual soup featuring cheese from Switzerland is Swiss Oat Soup; it's a favourite in Appenzell and other parts of the country.

When I hear the word "apps", I think of Swiss cheese tarts. These cheese tarts are sold in bakeries throughout the country using whatever local cheese is best. They can include flavourings such as onion, bacon, ham or spices such as caraway or cumin seeds.

My mother made these wonderful Appenzeller Cheese Tartlets every Christmas Eve and I still cannot really appreciate Christmas without them. But they are wonderful at any time of the year.

Cheese and bread are natural partners, but in Switzerland they are combined in more ways than any other country.

Besides fondue, a common Swiss cheese dish called "Ramekin", which originated in French Switzerland, is cheese and bread baked with a savoury custard poured over top -- another cheese-lovers' dream. Often other ingredients are added, such as ham or spinach, as in our Swiss Cheese Ramekin with Spinach and Ham.

The Swiss love cheese so much that cheese often forms the main course for dinner. A common supper is a selection of cheeses (at room temperature, of course) served with hot boiled potatoes. Besides generous fresh grindings of black pepper and a plate of sour and salty gherkins or other pickles, the normal accompaniment is black coffee. In Swiss restaurants, you can order this as "Café Complet".

All over Switzerland, macaroni and cheese (with added potatoes) is an ever-popular dish. It is called "Alpine Macaroni" (probably because the richness requires the eater to climb mountains to deserve such a reward) and is served with applesauce and, often, hard apple cider.

So give the boxed stuff a vacation and try this Alpine treat (and then go for a long walk afterwards):

Swiss-Style Mac and Cheese recipe

Fry 2 onions, sliced, in 3 tbsp/45 mL butter until golden brown; set aside.

Cut about 1 lb/500 g potatoes into small cubes; boil them in 8 cups/2 L boiling salted water for 5 minutes. Add 1/2 lb/250 g macaroni and cook until al dente. Reserving 1/2 cup/125 mL of the cooking water, drain. Stir 1/2 cup/125 mL whipping cream, generous grating of nutmeg and black pepper into the macaroni mixture.

Butter an 8-cup/2 L baking dish; layer macaroni mixture, 6 to 8 oz/200 to 250 g grated Appenzeller, Fribourger, Gruyère or other Swiss mountain cheese, and onions in baking dish. Bake in 400F/200C oven until cheese is melted and top is golden, 10 to 20 minutes. Serve with applesauce on the side.