“Fondue and raclette are both close to my heart (and stomach),” says Mickael Loiodice about the traditional Alpine dishes he grew up on in the Haute-Savoie. While his family’s fondue recipe is a secret (it can be ordered or catered from French’eese), anybody can make raclette at home. “It’s less about exact quantities and more about the ritual and shared experience, which makes it easy,” he says. All you need is a raclette grill and authentic raclette cheese (see bottom-left photo, page 8).
Slice raclette into pieces that fit into the individual coupelles or dishes. While the cheese melts below, grill veggies and cured meat on top. Scrape (“to scrape” in French is racler, the origin of the word raclette) melted cheese over small boiled potatoes and whatever you’ve grilled, and serve with local charcuterie, cornichons, a simple green salad and wine.