All cheese or what? The ultimate Raclette 1×1
If socializing is not a side effect, but a central component, then we are talking about raclette. The most important ingredient is of course the cheese. We'll tell you curious facts about the popular food, which cheese melts well and ideas for dips and side dishes in this blog post.
When it's stormy and snowing outside, people like to pull together. A good glass of red wine, candlelight and, ideally, a crackling fire in the fireplace - and the darkness and cold are forgotten. Now only one thing is missing: a fully set table, an electric raclette with several pans and plenty of space for creative ideas. That's exactly the beauty of this meal: everyone tries out new combinations, passes the ingredients back and forth and chats along the way. Everyone gets what they like, whether vegetarian or meat eater, child or adult, and everyone is satisfied.
Raclette: who invented it?
But let's start from the beginning. About 400 years ago, farmers in the Swiss canton of Valais supposedly had the idea of splitting a whole wheel of cheese and placing the cut side next to a fire. Once the top layer began to melt, they scraped off the cheese. The name Raclette was later derived from the French word “racler”, which means scraping. This is the most common theory about the origins of raclette. There are also other legends, such as the one that monks in the Middle Ages circumvented the ban on solid food by melting cheese over a fire. Curious fact on the side: Raclette was originally a dish that was eaten in summer. Back when Swiss mountain farmers didn't have a refrigerator and made raclette cheese from summer milk, which only had a shelf life of three months. A strange idea, especially since raclette is a very filling food. Be that as it may, today's raclette has been around for a long time and shows how versatile cheese can be.
Cheese to melt in your mouth
But which cheese, apart from a so-called raclette cheese with its very strong aroma, is suitable for the pan? Basically any cheese that melts well.
- Emmental: The nutty taste of WOERLE Emmentaler harmonizes perfectly with various vegetables and meat as well as other delicacies.
- Mondsee: The hearty, spicy WOERLE Mondsee Melts particularly delicately and gives your ingredients that certain something.
- Gouda cheese: Our WOERLE Gouda is a versatile cheese that you can use sliced or grated for raclette.
- Mountain cheese: Also the WOERLE Bergkäse Melts well and has a strong flavor due to its long maturation.
- Hay moon cheese: If you like it particularly mild, you can go with a WOERLE Hay moon cheese well advised. It is particularly popular with children and is also suitable for baking fruit due to its subtle taste.
The perfect companions
Did you know that the original Swiss raclette consisted of only two ingredients, cheese and potatoes? Today, however, a wide variety of side dishes are served. Here are a few ideas for your raclette shopping list:
- Pickles and silver onions
- Various vegetables, such as mushrooms, peppers, broccoli and corn
- Olives, sun-dried tomatoes and pickled garlic
- Ham and bacon
- Meat and seafood
- and much more
About 150 to 200 grams of cheese per person as well as 150 grams of meat, vegetables and potatoes and/or bread per person are recommended. But we think you should buy a little too much to be on the safe side. After all, leftover raclette is ideal for quick and... delicious casseroles. Last but not least, don't forget sauces and dips. How about this one, for example Paprika dip? Guacamole or aioli also go well.
Finally, a practical tip to reduce the smell of cheese in the apartment after a raclette evening. Simply add cloves to oranges and lemons and set them up.
