Cheese Fondue or Raclette?
If you live in Switzerland, or have visited this beautiful country, you know that it has a cuisine all its own. There are many dishes that originated here, and each one is incredibly delicious. One such dish is fondue, which is basically melted cheese served with bread cubes, potatoes or veggies. The other cheesy option — is Raclette. In this article we'll explain the difference between these two types of cheese dishes, the best way to eat them and which one might be best for you.
Fondue and Raclette are both cheese based and the best place to buy it is in specialised cheese shops where they freshly mix the cheese in front of you - this being said you can find great Fondue and Raclette alternatives in supermarkets like Coop or Migros.
Many vegan options are also available now a day like the New Roots and Pakka cashew based versions which are also super creamy alternatives.
So what is Cheese Fondue?
Fondue is an interesting and delicious Swiss dish that can be found in many different variations all around the world. The most common way of preparing fondue is to melt cheese over a pot or on a stove. The typical fondue pot is called “Caquelon” and can be purchased for under CHF 20. Most Swiss cheese fondue is “moitié-moitié,” a 50/50 mix of Vacherin Fribourgeous and Gruyère but some also use different types of cheese like Emmental or Appenzeller. When making Fondue “from scratch” (buying the fresh cheese), you will also have to add some cornstarch, wine, kirsch liquor, pepper, garlic, lemon juice and nutmeg. If you buy it “pre-made” at the store you won’t have to add anything. Some other popular Fondues in Switzerland are: Tomato Fondue, Champagne Fondue, Blue Cheese Fondue. The typical things to eat Fondue with are: Bread, Boiled Potatoes, Pears, Apples, Pickles, Pickled Onions. Some people also like to eat Fondue with other vegetables like Cauliflower or Broccoli.
Fun Facts & Traditions:
Swiss tradition says that you can only drink white wine, kirsch, or tea with fondue. People believe that if you drink cold beverages like water you will not digest correctly.
Fondue forks are usually different colours - every person gets their colour and can keep track of it.
If you are eating Fondue at a restaurant - the first person to “loose” a piece of bread or potato in the Fondue should pay for everyone’s drinks (you don’t actually have to make them pay but you can mess around with them a bit).
When the cheese in the Fondue pot is done you will find a crusty, golden, unburnt layer of cheese at the bottom of the pot which is called la religieuse (the nun). This part of the cheese Fondue is very important and should be enjoyed as well. Some people also like to break an egg into the pot and eat it with the cheese (think of cheesy scrambled eggs).
What is Raclette?
Raclette is a type of cheese from the French region of Savoy. It's made from cow's milk, and is typically aged for at least two months. Raclette can be eaten as is: melted over potatoes, cooked or raw vegetables (like cauliflower), or bread. Raclette is made using a Raclette Grill but it can also be heated in the oven. In real Swiss restaurants they have a wheel of cheese that they slowly melt close to an open flame and bring to the table the cheese once its ready.
Raclette cheese comes with a special tool that allows you to scrape off small portions of cheese onto your plate so you can melt it into your food. Raclette comes in all shapes and forms and you can get it with for example: pepper, spicy chilli, blue cheese. Another great idea is to add some onions or bacon on your Raclette before heating it.
Fun Facts & Traditions:
The original Raclette cheese originates in the Canton of Wallis home to the famous Matterhorn Mountain. The original cheese recipe goes back 6000 years!
Legend says that shepherds and herdsmen, short on ingredients, heated wedges of raclette by an open fire, then scraped off the top layer of melted cheese onto pickles and boiled potatoes.
Don’t be unprepared! While your cheese is melting in the raclette grill you should be preparing the ingredients you will melt it onto (potatoes, picked onions etc).
So if you haven’t tried these two traditional Swiss dishes, which one should you try first? I always recommend to start with Cheese Fondue as it’s more fun! Whipping your fondue fork around, trying pears / apples with the fondue and realising it’s delicious, the bottom crust and, of course, the kirsch you should have at the end of the fondue to help digestion.
