Raclette

Last year during a visit to Lyon, some friends of ours invited us over for dinner. It was a bitterly cold night, perfect weather for introducing us to a dish called "raclette." This hearty meal originated from the mountainous regions of France and Switzerland, and typically consists of melted cheese, sliced meats, potatoes, and bread. (Customarily, this meal was prepared over an open fire, and I imagine it provided a lot of warmth and conviviality during the frigid Alpine winters.) Our friends had described it to us as "similar to fondue" when they extended the invitation, so at first Greg was not excited (his usual response to "fondue" is "fon-don't!"). He was pleasantly surprised at how delicious raclette turned out to be.

Our friends prepared the meal directly at the table. They had a special raclette machine which included six miniature griddles called "coupelles." Sliced charcuterie selections (dried meats, salami, ham, etc.) and cheese are put on the coupelles and then placed under the electric grill to melt and brown the cheese. Then the cheese/meat concoction is scraped off the coupelles and onto potatoes or slices of bread. The term raclette is derived from the French verb for "to scrape," racler.

When these dear friends moved back to the U.S. from Lyon, we were the happy recipients of their raclette machine. Yesterday was one of those cold, blustery, rainy days -- an "Eeyore" day -- so I considered it to be the perfect opportunity to inaugurate the raclette maker. It was a big success. Since you're creating the meal together as a family, the activity seems to stimulate animated conversation and laughter. The machine even provides extra warmth for the table! Lori claims that this is now her new favorite dinner. It's a very hearty meal, though -- not good for my waistline -- so I'll have to practice moderation!

Ingredients: bread, charcuterie, cheese, potatoes

Step 1: Place meat & cheese onto coupelles

Step 2: Place coupelles under the grill.
Bread can be warmed on top of the hotplate.

Step 3: Scrape the melted cheese onto potatoes or sliced bread.

Step 4: Enjoy! Bon appetit!