Raclette facts for kids
Raclette (pronounced "rah-KLET") is a delicious Swiss dish. It's also very popular in other mountain countries, especially in the Alps. The main idea is to heat a special cheese until it gets super melty. Then, you scrape off the melted part. People usually eat it with boiled potatoes. The cheese used for this dish is also called Raclette cheese. A famous kind is the Raclette du Valais.
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The Story of Raclette
People have been eating melted cheese in Switzerland for a very long time. Old writings from Swiss monasteries mention melted cheese dishes as early as the year 1291.
This melted cheese was first eaten by farmers in the mountain areas of Valais and Fribourg in Switzerland. It was also popular in Savoie and Haute-Savoie in France. Back then, in the German-speaking parts of Switzerland, it was called Bratchäs, which means "roasted cheese."
Traditionally, cow herders would carry cheese with them when they moved their cows up and down the mountains. In the evening, they would place the cheese next to a campfire to make it soft. Then, they would scrape the melted cheese onto bread.
How Raclette is Served
In Valais, Switzerland, raclette is usually served with potatoes, small pickled cucumbers called cornichons, and pickled onions. People often drink black tea or other warm drinks with it. Sometimes, they have Fendant wine, which is a white wine from the region. In France, people often serve it with white wine like Savoy wine, or even Riesling. Many people believe that a warm drink like black tea helps you digest the cheese better.
In restaurants in Switzerland, a special person scrapes the cheese for everyone. They use a large oven or a wood fire. In France, restaurants often put a smaller raclette oven right on your table. This way, you can scrape the cheese yourself!
The name "Raclette" comes from a French-Swiss word, "racler," which means "to scrape." So, the name describes exactly what you do with the cheese!
Making and Eating Raclette
Raclette is a dish that comes from parts of Switzerland. A big round of raclette cheese is heated up. This can be done in front of a fire or with a special machine. As the cheese melts, it is scraped off onto plates.
In some traditional restaurants, the cheese is put on a spike next to a fire. As it melts, it drips down. Warm plates with boiled potatoes are held underneath to catch the melted cheese. These are served right away to the customers.
Traditional Raclette
Traditionally, the cheese melts in front of an open fire. A large piece of cheese faces the heat. As the side facing the fire melts, someone regularly scrapes off the gooey part. Some restaurants use a heat lamp instead of an open fire. The cheese is placed under the lamp when a customer orders, and the melted cheese is scraped off, just like the old way.
The melted cheese is usually eaten with small, firm potatoes. Other common sides include cornichons (pickled cucumbers), pickled onions, and dried meats. These meats can be things like prosciutto, salami, or viande des Grisons. To drink, people might have Kirsch (a cherry brandy), black tea, herbal tea, or white wine from the Valais region.
Modern Raclette at Home
A more modern way to enjoy raclette uses an electric table-top grill. This grill has small pans called coupelles. You put slices of raclette cheese into these little pans to melt them. This newer method has been popular since the 1950s.
Often, the grill also has a hot plate or griddle on top. In Switzerland, this electric device is sometimes called a "raclonette." The grill is placed in the middle of the table. The cheese comes already sliced. There are also platters of boiled potatoes, other vegetables, and different kinds of charcuterie (sliced meats).
You can mix these foods with potatoes and then top them with cheese in your small pan. Then, you slide your pan under the grill to melt and brown the cheese. Or, you can just melt cheese slices and pour them over your food. Eating raclette is often a relaxed and social meal. It can last for several hours as everyone cooks their own cheese and food. Around Christmas, many supermarkets in Europe sell these grills and ready-sliced cheese and meat for raclette parties.
Sometimes, other types of cheese are used for raclette. For example, "Vercouline" uses a cheese called Bleu du Vercors-Sassenage. In another region of France, people might use Bleu de Gex or Morbier cheese.
- Examples of raclettes
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A half raclette cheese melting over a wood fire, with the melted part being scraped onto a plate.
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Slices of raclette cheese ready for individual cooking.
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A slice of raclette cheese cooked in an individual pan on an electric grill.
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Small, ready-made snacks with raclette cheese on boiled potatoes.
See also
In Spanish: Raclette (comida) para niños
