Definition: raclette

A Valais speciality, consisting of half a cheese from the mountain pastures, which is melted on the surface and scraped onto the plate. Raclette was once a festive meal! In Savièse, in Valais, it was served as a starter at wedding receptions. It is said to have been discovered in the Sierre region. On a cold day, winegrowers lit a fire so they could eat something warm. One of these winegrowers had the idea of heating his cheese over the wood fire. Raclette, whose name comes from the French word for scraping, was born. The name was made official at the 1909 cantonal exhibition. With its growing popularity, raclette has spread beyond Switzerland and is also eaten in Haute-Savoie.