SEASONINGS: Raclette

Raclette was born during the Middle Ages.

Historically, local farmers and herdsmen in the valleys of the Swiss Alps, carried with them onions, gherkins, potatoes, and cheese. One night, leftover cheese that had been sitting on a stone near the open fire, melted. The farmers scraped it off the rock, as to not waste any, tasted it, and fell in love with it. (Melting cheese intensifies its flavor.)

The term “raclette” comes from the French word racler, to scrape or scrape off. The idea quickly caught on, spread throughout the valley, and eventually throughout Switzerland, to France and Germany and other parts of Europe.

The warm cheese dish originated in the French-speaking areas in the Alpine regions of the Valais canton in Switzerland. The country’s greatest natural resource is the cow. Farmers living in the area take full advantage of the moist alpine pastures, the pure and clean air, and move their livestock up the mountains to graze during the summer season. The various naturally growing grasses in the upper altitudes contain a high protein and fat content and are highly nutritious. The cattle enjoy grazing on the succulent grasses and, in turn, provide the country with the rich milk supply that produces high quality cheese. Raclette cheese is aged about six months and handcrafted on both the Swiss and French sides of the Alps. However, the cheese bearing the name Valais Raclette, the most famous, is made according to ancestral methods. The Valais Raclette cheese is made in the valleys of Bagnes, Goms, Les Hauderes, and Orsieres.