Natives living in the French Savoie region or in the Swiss Alps will argue ’til the cows come home over who first invented raclette, but everyone who tries this traditional cheese/potato dish agrees it’s great. Raclette is thought to be at least 400 years old and remains popular today.
For centuries, herders in Europe’s mountainous regions have survived on this simple dish of boiled potatoes covered in melted cheese.
During its production, the raclette cheese is washed with salted water and bacteria smears. It must rest in a cave (real or man-made) with 100% humidity and a temperatures of about 60 degrees F,° which accelerates the breakdown of the protein and fat, creating different flavors, nutty, creamy and a bit buttery and aromatic when heated.
On every visit home to Switzerland, my adult kids request raclette. Instead of the traditional equipment meant for the half cheese, we use an electric grill with individual serving trays and raclette cut into portions. Since moving to the mountains, we decided to try the authentic dish.
As you enter our village of St. Cergue, the Beef’n Cheese Restaurant is easy to locate off the round-about. A giant, red ceramic cow with a white cross symbolizing the Swiss flag, stands on the balcony. Locals stop for a beer at the cafe table out front.
The interior of the restaurant is a bit kitsch, but charming with its spotted cow upholstered chairs, long wooden tables, a wall-sized hearth and local decor. Cow bells hang from wooden beams, antique skis stick out of giant milk jugs and ski posters from the 40’s decorate the walls.
Our waitress brought us a half a wheel of cheese melting on the authentic raclette machine. Gerald tilted the wheel and scraped the top layer of cheese onto our plate of unpeeled potatoes. Raclette comes from the French word "racler," which means to scrape.
A basket filled with giant, marble-sized spuds are served with finger-sized vinegary cornichons and white cocktail onions. We ordered a side of charcuterie, a wooden cutting board laden with ham off the bone, jambon cru (dried beef) and dried saucisson à l’ail (garlic).
The “all you can eat” meal costs 31CH ($35) per person, which for a Swiss tourist town, is not unreasonably expensive. Traditionally, raclette is served with white wine, but our Frenchman ordered a Scramble Noir, a sublime red blend of five different grape varieties. Red or white wine, whatever, the French and Swiss agree never drink water with raclette. It will make your stomach bloat in indigestion!
Raclette was added to the 2024 World Championship Cheese Contest in Madison, Wisconsin.
”I personally love it," John Jaeggi, a contestant, said. "When it's cold, it's OK. But melted, oh my gosh, it's really good."
Though less well known in the US, I’ve yet to meet an American that didn’t enjoy raclette.
“Trader Joe’s stocks this cheese around the holidays,” my best friend, who moved back to the States, says, “I call and order ahead before it even hits the shelves, so I can throw raclette parties all winter.”
Whenever anyone visits us in Switzerland, we share this convivial meal and create memories for guests to take home.
No matter how many visitors we’ve served, we will never beat the new record!
In Martigny, Switzerland on April 5th, organizers of 'The Biggest Raclette Party in the World` brought together 4,893 people, including 361 raclette- scrapers, to claim the title.
So great to see your huge grin with your Frenchman and Dr. Daughter. Sounds delicious! A meal to be eaten slowly with family and friend, conversation and love!
So great to hear from you. Even though that photo was taken years ago, we still enjoy every occasion to share raclette with family and friends. You would love it! Perhaps it can entice you to a visit in your retirement?
Yep! I save all my entertaining for the winter and spring season to invite friends over for this special meal. Returnees love it. When we were living in France our first raclette machine was the original one but with 8 dinner guests waiting for their turn for the cheese to be scraped we gave it up for the one with individual trays so guests can all melt their own. Thank you for the clarification about not serving it with water. Hubby thinks it’s a wives tale!
Yes, the electric raclette grill is much easier. Tell your hubby, the Frenchman & all other natives of the area swear by that ol’ wives tale. I have never tried to break with tradition & would never dare imbibe in H20 while savoring such a fine meal. teehee