A melting moment
Fiona Smith
Ferndale Raclette scooped the pool as Champion of Champions at the New Zealand Champion of Cheese Awards 2004. Fiona Smith finds this traditional melting cheese well deserves its fanatical following.
 Snowboarding towards lunch with legs shaking from exhaustion and an empty stomach, it seems as if the approach to Swiss Alpine restaurant Chez Danny is almost unachievable. But if anything epitomises the phrase ‘light at the end of the tunnel’, it’s Chez Danny. The tunnel: metre-high, sheet-ice moguls covering the narrow, tree-lined path. The light: raclette.
This tangy, semi-soft cheese from the Valais region of Switzerland is as famous locally as fondue. But its lesser fame around the world probably stems from the traditional way it is served. The word raclette comes from the French ‘racler’ (to scrape), which describes the process during which half a wheel of raclette is clamped on a stand and held close to a roaring open fire or a tabletop grill. As the top layer melts it is scraped on to a plate of boiled waxy potatoes which are then served with cornichons and pickled cocktail onions.
The size of a wheel of raclette is about 45cm in diameter, making half a wheel not only a vast amount to consume, but also cost-prohibitive outside Europe. More recently, smaller grills that hold single servings of cheese have become available and it is also possible to melt slices on cooking paper or foil under the grill. These methods work well, but take away most of the drama and atmosphere of the traditional method.
Sampling a traditional raclette is an essential experience for cheese lovers, which I strongly recommend you take up if the opportunity arises. And when you do so, don’t ignore the rind, which turns dark and crisp as the cheese melts. Raclette is held in such high regard among fanatics it’s known as ‘religieuse’.
Raclette is a fantastic melting cheese and anyone who has eaten at alpine restaurants like Chez Danny will have seen it in two other winter favourites – fondue and croûte au fromage.
Fondue is traditionally made with gruyère and emmental , but raclette is a popular substitute for those who like a nuttier, less sweet flavour. Croûte au fromage is true mountain food. Dense bread, soaked in wine and covered with cheese is baked till golden and bubbling. It is rich and filling and it is surprisingly easy to consume a whole dish yourself after a hard day on the slopes. In the recipe that follows I’ve cut down on the amount of cheese and suggested serving 4 people with one dish, but you can add more cheese and reduce numbers if you feel you deserve it.
The jury is still out on what to drink with raclette, but thought is basically divided into two schools. There is the ‘copious quantities of white wine’ school, preferably Fendant, the wine of Valais, of which I am a follower. I like to justify the consumption of plenty of dry white wine with the theory that the acidity helps break down the cheese making it easier to digest.
The other school, however, believes strongly that cold liquid should not be drunk as it may bring on indigestion. Room-temperature kirsch or hot tea are the preferred beverages.
Croûte au Fromage avec Champignons et Épinard
(Gratin of Cheese, Mushrooms
& Spinach)
1 tablespoon olive oil
250g Swiss brown mushrooms, sliced
300g spinach, chopped
375g dense bread such as sourdough, preferably day-old
15g butter
½ cup dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc
300g raclette, sliced
1 cup cornichons (small gherkins) and/or pickled cocktail onions to serve
Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes until soft.
Add the spinach, cover and cook for 1-2 minutes until just wilted. Remove from the heat and set aside. Slice bread into 1.5cm-thick slices. Place a 32cm gratin or other ovenproof dish 
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