In France Fondue is also the common name for a simple dish of eggs scrambled with grated cheese and butter and served very hot on toasted bread, or filled into fancy paper cases, quickly browned on top and served at once.  The reason for this is that all baked Fondues fall as easily and as far as Souffles, although the latter are more noted for this failing.  There is a similarity in the soft fluffiness of both, although the Fondues are always more moist.  For there is a stiff, stuffed-shirt buildup around any Souffle, suggesting a dressy dinner, while Fondue started as a self-service dunking bowl.

Our modern tendency is to try to make over the original French Fondue on the Welsh Rabbit model—­to turn it into a sort of French Rabbit.  Although we know that both Gruyere and Emmentaler are what we call Swiss and that it is impossible in America to duplicate the rich Alpine flavor given by the mountain herbs, we are inclined to try all sorts of domestic cheeses and mixtures thereof.  But it’s best to stick to Savarin’s “lump of Gruyere” just as the neighboring French and Italians do.  It is interesting to note that this Swiss Alpine cooking has become so international that it is credited to Italy in the following description we reprint from When Madame Cooks, by an Englishman, Eric Weir: 

 Fondue a l’Italienne

This is one of those egg dishes that makes one feel really grateful to hens.  From its name it originated probably in Italy, but it has crossed the Alps.  I have often met it in France, but only once in Italy.

     First of all, make a very stiff white sauce with butter, flour
     and milk.  The sauce should be stiff enough to allow the wooden
     spoon to stand upright or almost.

Off the fire, add yolks of eggs and 4 ounces of grated Gruyere cheese.  Mix this in well with the white sauce and season with salt, pepper and some grated nutmeg.  Beat whites of egg firm.  Add the whites to the preparation, stir in, and pour into a pudding basin.

Take a large saucepan and fill half full of water.  Bring to a boil, and then place the pudding basin so that the top of the basin is well out of the water.  Allow to boil gently for 1-1/2 to 2 hours.  Renew the boiling water from time to time, as it evaporates, and take care that the water, in boiling, does not bubble over the mixture.

Test with a knife, as for a cake, to see if it is cooked.  When the knife comes out clean, take the basin out of the water and turn the Fondue out on a dish.  It should be fairly firm and keep the shape of the basin.

     Sprinkle with some finely chopped ham and serve hot.

The imported Swiss sometimes is cubed instead of grated, then marinated for four or five hours in dry white wine, before being melted and liquored with the schnapps.  This can be pleasantly adopted here in: 

 All-American Fondue