Raclette, the Queen of Comfort Cheeses
Because we all need a blanket or hot, melty cheese right about now
Hello cheese sluts!
Happy New Year! I want to start off by thanking all of you for subscribing to this little dispatch. I started this Substack 7 months ago, and I don’t think I’ve ever felt so at home on any other platform. I’m very grateful to have this space for my cheese preachings, so thank you very much for joining me here.
The theme of this bulletin is comfort, specifically by way of Raclette. She’s the gravity blanket of cheeses, warm and heavily draped, usually on a bed of carbohydrates. She originated in the Vallais region of the Swiss Alps, but she long predates a definitive border between France and Switzerland. She’s made with a cow’s milk, bathed with brine, and aged for 2–4 months to create a pliable texture and deep, savory flavors.
I love that Raclette is not only a cheese, but a ritual. Her name is French for “to scrape,” which references the method of heating half wheels under a lamp or grill until browned and bubbling, then scraping the melted surface over piles of potatoes, salami, and pickles. It’s a beautiful and dramatic sight, but it requires both a specialty machine and knife, plus at least a half wheel of cheese. Luckily, you can also recreate the end product at home (more on that below).
How to Serve
Obviously, Raclette performs best when melted, but she can also shine on a cheese plate. Just cut off the top and bottom rind, then thinly slice into triangles.
If you’re serving her melted, I recommend using a personal Raclette grill. If you don’t have one, a cast-iron skillet or sheet pan with a silicone mat works just fine.
4-6 oz Raclette per person (room temperature)
2 oz Salami per person
8 oz boiled potatoes per person
Cornichon pickles
Slice the Raclette thinly. Place the accompaniments onto individual plates.
If using an at-home Raclette grill: place the cheese in the grill pan and heat until melty. Pour over the accompaniments.
If using a cast-iron skillet or sheet pan with a silicone mat: preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the slices of cheese on the skillet or pan, evenly spaced apart. Bake in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes, until fully melted. Use two spatulas to gently lift the cheese and place onto the accompaniments.
Tasting Notes:
Raclette is a very savory cheese, with deep, brothy flavors and notes of plums and toasted nuts.
How to Pair:
The most traditional accompaniments are boiled baby potatoes with cornichons, pickled pearl onions, and salami. I think you can add Raclette onto almost anything, but I recommend always having a carbohydrate as your vehicle and something tangy to cut through the richness.
As Nachos: tortilla chips, smoky chipotle salsa, fried onions, and Raclette melted on top
Sausage-Style: pour the melted Raclette over a kielbasa on a bun, and top with a pickle and whole-grain mustard
Sweet Pairings: onion jam, fig jam, dark honey, maple butter, apples, grapes
Savory Pairings: BBQ chips, french fries, tater tots, roasted broccoli, salami, bacon, mustard, sauerkraut, really all the pickles
Drink Pairings: malty beer, stirred whiskey cocktails, any style of apple cider, chardonnay, Beaujolais, or Côtes du Rhône.
Where to Buy
If you can find her, I recommend Raclette du Valais AOP. She’s the only one that’s name-protected, by the Swiss Government. There are many other versions made throughout the Swiss and French Alps, and even in America. I highly recommend Reading Raclette from Spring Brooke Farm in Vermont.
Click here to find a local cheese shop near you or checkout my online retailer list to have her shipped to you. You can also find her in the specialty section at supermarkets like Whole Foods and Kroger.
How to Store
Wrap the wedge in specialty cheese paper like Formaticum. You can also wrap it in wax or parchment paper, and seal it in a plastic tub or zip-top bag. More on cheese storage here.
I hope you start this new year under a warm blanket of Raclette. Cheesus bless!
🖤 Erika