caquelon

{{Short description|Ceramic pot used for cheese fondue}}

{{one source|date=December 2024}}

File:Caquelon with rechaud 2 (aka).jpg

A caquelon ({{IPA|fr|kaklɔ̃|lang|LL-Q150 (fra)-Ltrlg-caquelon.wav}}), also called a fondue pot, is a cooking vessel of stoneware, ceramic, enamelled cast iron, or porcelain for the preparation of fondue.

The word caquelon is from a Swiss French term originating in the 18th century derived from the Alsatian word {{lang|gsw-FR|kakel}} (akin to German {{lang|de|Kachel}}, "glazed tile") referring to an earthenware casserole.{{cite book|title=Dictionnaire suisse romand. Particularités léxicales du français contemporain|language=fr-CH|editor1-first=André|editor1-last=Thibault|editor2-first=Pierre|editor2-last=Knecht|editor3-first=Gisèle|editor3-last=Boeri|editor4-first=Simone|editor4-last=Quenet|publisher=Édition Zoé|location=Carouge|year=1997|ISBN=2-88182-316-5|pp=202–203}} The term is in common use throughout Switzerland, and in the Franche-Comté and Provence regions of France.

The bottom of a caquelon requires a thickness sufficient to prevent burning of the melted cheese when the vessel is placed over a spirit burner at the table. Nevertheless, an encrusted layer of cheese forms on the bottom (called {{lang|de|Grossmutter}} in German, {{lang|fr|religieuse}} in French) which is released when the fondue has been consumed and is shared between the diners.