Raclette refers to the specific cheese from Switzerland as well as the Swiss dish. The name comes from the French word “racler” meaning “to scrape”. Read about the history of raclette and how it is related to the action of racler:
The raclette history begin around the Middle Ages when Swiss farmers and herdsmen would bring cheese, bread, potatoes, pickles, and wine for lunch. When they wanted a hot meal, they would heat the cheese on the campfire or hearth and pour or scrape it over their potatoes and pickles.
Convents in 1291 wrote of this melted cheese meal. The cheese came from the Swiss Alps in the towns of Valais and Fribourg where the semi-firm cow’s milk cheese would be the perfect melting cheese because of its creamy consistency and quick ability to melt without being too runny.
The dish was officially named raclette in the 19th century because of its action of scraping. Once named, it became the national dish of Switzerland. In the 1970s, the dish was further popularized around the world when the raclette machine was invented.
Buy a Raclette Machine for your home!
Swissmar Classic 8 Person Anthracite Raclette with Cast Aluminum Grill Plate
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