LCBO Food & Drink Autumn 2022

INSIDE SCOOP

Switzerland have this one. You can use the top to grill

onions, peppers and mushrooms to go with the raclette, though it will really stink up the house! What cheese should you use and how should it be prepared beforehand? Raclette is a semi-hard cow’s milk cheese with a mild, creamy, slightly nutty flavour. When melted, it has a silky texture. In Canada, the only Swiss brand I’ve seen is Emmi. There is also one from Quebec called Le 1608 de Charlevoix. I wouldn’t recommend any other cheeses because saltiness becomes an issue. Ask for it to be sliced 5 mm thick. You should be able to get it at any quality cheesemonger, but call ahead to make sure. wheel of cheese is cut it in half. You have a different oven, which broils the entire cut half. While someone goes around scraping it, the other half is broiling. The original raclette was done this way over hot stones next to a fire. What occasions do people eat raclette in Switzerland? Family gatherings and casual Are there other ways to raclette? For a bigger group, a whole

Raclette 101 ASK AN EXPERT Do you raclette? Well, you should. It’s an unbelievably fun way to enjoy cheese, and far easier to pull together than its better-known cousin fondue. To learn more about this trendy cheese centric meal, we talked to Swiss-born pastry chef Melanie Harris of Dundas Park Kitchen, a boutique pie company in Toronto.

What are the basics of raclette? Raclette cheese, boiled skin-on potatoes served hot, cornichons (little unsweetened pickles), bresaola (since you can’t find Swiss cured beef here) and Hungarian paprika. While the cheese melts on spatulas under the grill, you cut potatoes and cornichons on your plate, then scrape the bubbling cheese over

them. Sprinkle with a pinch of paprika, if desired, and serve bresaola on the side. It’s so simple—just be sure to use good cheese and good potatoes. Can you recommend a brand of raclette grill? Swissmar with eight slots and the cast-iron top. I did a lot of research, and many people in

celebrations. The way we barbecue here, they would raclette there.

Swissmar Classic Raclette Grill with Cast Iron Top, $195, swissmarshop.ca

PHOTOGRAPHY BY WADE HUDSON

20 FOOD & DRINK AUTUMN 2022