Raclette

Raclette(/rəˈklɛt/,French:[ʁaklɛt]) is a dish ofSwissorigin, also popular in the otherAlpine countries(France,Italy,Germany,Austria), based on heating cheese and scraping off the melted part, then typically served with boiledpotatoes. Raclette cheese is historically a dish originating from thecanton of Valaisin Switzerland. This cheese from Valais benefits from anAOP.Raclette cheese is also aSwiss-type cheesemarketed specifically to be used for this dish.
Raclette is also served asstreet food, but often with bread instead of potatoes.
Dishes of melted cheese were mentioned in medieval texts from Swissconventsas early as 1291.Melted cheese was originally consumed by peasants in the mountainous Alpine regions of the cantons ofValaisandFribourg(Switzerland), andSavoieandHaute-Savoie(France). It was then known in theGerman-speaking part of SwitzerlandasBratchäsorBratkäse, "roasted cheese". Traditionally, cow herders carried cheese with them when they were moving cows to or from pastures up in the mountains. In the evening, the cheese would be placed next to acampfirefor softening, then scraped onto bread. Melting raclette-type cheese in front of a fire is attested in Valais since 1574. Since 1875, the French termracletteis commonly used for this dish. At the 1909 Cantonal Exhibition of Sion, raclette was promoted as a national dish of Valais. Raclette eventually gained national (and international) popularity from the1964 National Exhibition.
In Valais, raclette is typically served with potatoes,cornichons(fermented, pickled cucumbers), pickled onions, black tea, other warm beverages, orFendantwine. A popular French option is to serve it with white wine, such asSavoy wine, butRieslingandpinot grisare also common. Traditionally, it is consumed with black tea, since a warm beverage is considered to improve digestion.
InSwitzerland, a scraper continuously serves all in the restaurant from an oven placed in a separated table or near a wood fire. InFrance, restaurateurs often place a raclette oven directly on the table, in which case the scraping is to be done by the guests.
Raclette is a dish native to parts of Switzerland. The raclette cheese round is heated, either in front of a fire or by a special machine, then scraped onto diners' plates.
Traditionally the melting happens in front of an open fire, with the big piece of cheese facing the heat. One then regularly scrapes off the melting side. Some restaurants that serve raclette use a heat lamp to substitute for the open fire, with the cheese being put under the lamp as the customer orders and the melted cheese scraped off, as in the traditional method. The melted cheese is accompanied by small firmpotatoes(Bintje, Charlotte or Raclette varieties), cornichons (gherkins),pickledonions, and dried meat, such asjambon cru/cuit,salami, andviande des Grisons, and to drink,kirsch, black or herbal tea or white wine from a Valais vineyard (a Fendant wine from theChasselasgrape).
A modern way of serving raclette involves an electric table-top grill with small pans, known ascoupelles, in which slices of raclette cheese are melted.This new way has been used since the 1950s. Generally the grill is surmounted by a hot plate or griddle. In Switzerland the electrical raclette is called "raclonette". The device is put in the middle of the table. The cheese is brought to the table sliced, accompanied by platters of boiled or steamed potatoes, other vegetables, andcharcuterie(various meats). These are then mixed with potatoes and topped with cheese in the small wedge-shaped coupelles that are placed under the grill to melt and brown the cheese. Alternatively, slices of cheese may be melted and simply poured over food on the plate. The emphasis in raclette dining is on relaxed and sociable eating and drinking, the meal often running to several hours. French and other European supermarkets generally stock both the grill apparatus and ready-sliced cheese and charcuterie selections, especially around Christmas. Restaurants also provide raclette evenings for parties or dinners.
"Vercouline" is a raclette in whichBleu du Vercors-Sassenageis used. In Franche-Comté, theBleu de Gex(or "Bleu du Haut Jura") andMorbier, bothPDO, are used as variants.