The Melty Magic of Raclette

A humble alpine cheese becomes a winter obsession.

If you’ve ever watched someone scrape molten cheese onto a plate of potatoes, charcuterie or kettle chips — your mouth watering, your heart fluttering — you’ve witnessed the mesmerizing magic of raclette. This Alpine tradition has gone from mountain firesides to trendy U.S. cheese bars and backyard winter feasts, and its rich, melty appeal shows no signs of slowing down.

But raclette isn’t just a cheese, it’s a ritual: a slow, satisfying, deeply communal way of eating that invites warmth, indulgence and joy. And whether you’re wielding a tabletop grill or simply broiling slices over roasted vegetables, the spirit of raclette is always about togetherness.

FROM ALPINE HEARTHS TO MODERN TABLES

Raclette has its roots in the Swiss canton of Valais, where herdsmen in the Middle Ages would prop a wheel of cheese near the fire, scraping the bubbling top layer onto crusty bread or potatoes. In fact, the word “raclette” comes from the French verb racler, meaning “to scrape.”

In the Valais region, where snowy peaks give way to lush summer pastures, raclette was more than sustenance — it was a reward. After long days of tending cows, herdsmen would gather around a wood fire, wedge a wheel of cheese nearby, and wait patiently for the outer layer to bubble and blister.

There was no rush. This was the meal, the moment, the pause in a hard-working day.

“Raclette began as humble mountain fare — melted cheese scraped over boiled potatoes and eaten fireside by Alpine herdsmen,” says Melissa Ledbetter, vice president of marketing and e-commerce at Swiss cookware company Kuhn Rikon. “It was a meal of comfort, simplicity and togetherness.”

Today, that fireside tradition has evolved into an interactive, celebratory experience — shared at restaurants, at home, or even outdoors with a portable grill and some dry riesling.

TYPES & STYLES: THE CHEESE THAT SCRAPES

Raclette cheese is semi-firm, cow’s milk-based, and designed to melt like a dream. It’s nutty, buttery, aromatic, and indulgently smooth when heated. Traditional Swiss raclette often leans grassy and floral; French raclette (from Savoie or Franche-Comté) can have more funk.

“Raclette cheese is rich, aromatic, and nutty with a buttery finish,” says Ledbetter. “When melted, it becomes incredibly smooth and creamy, almost velvety. Unlike many melting cheeses, raclette has a distinctive tang and earthiness that pairs beautifully with simple ingredients.”

In the U.S., domestic makers are putting their own spin on the classic. Wisconsin’s Alpinage Cheese Co. produces a washed-rind, small-format raclette that’s a love letter to its Alpine roots. Known for its golden paste, rich melt, and bold aroma, Alpinage’s raclette is perfect for broiling or bubbling over a cast-iron pan.

“I’ve used traditional French raclette, but we like Swiss raclettes from Jumi Cheese,” says Kurt Mullican, co-founder and head of cheese at Greys Fine Cheese & Entertaining, with locations in Memphis, Nashville and Franklin, TN.

He also recommends Albert’s Golden Child, a German cheese coated in warming spices, for an aromatic twist. “We tend to use imported varieties, all alpine style.”

A CHEESE, A VERB, A WAY OF LIFE

Mullican captures the raclette ethos best: “I tell them raclette is both a cheese, a verb, and a way to do dinner.”

At Greys, raclette is more than a menu item — it’s a slow food experience. Sometimes it’s grilled at the table in personal pans; other times, he uses a traditional TTM melter (a professional-grade cheese-melting device made by TTM, Technique + Tradition + Matériel, a Swiss company known for raclette equipment) for scraping onto plates in dramatic fashion.

“Last winter, when we were doing raclette plates, I sold so many because eyes would light up when I was scraping cheese onto a plate. They watched me like a hawk, and you could tell it peaked when they knew it was their turn,” says Mullican. “You can tell it’s a special occasion for them.”

“What sets it apart for us Americans is that cheese is the star of the show, not meat.”
— Kurt Mullican, Greys Fine Cheese & Entertaining, Nashville, TN

That joy and anticipation are part of raclette’s appeal. “What sets it apart for us Americans is that cheese is the star of the show, not meat,” Mullican adds. “It’s relatively simple … where the meal is just the sum of stand-alone ingredients.”

YOUR RACLETTE PARTY STARTER PACK

Ready to melt? Raclette at home can be as traditional or as creative as you like. It all starts with the heat. Whether you’re investing in a full-size tabletop grill or going for a charming compact option, you’ve got choices. For an even more rustic spin, you can simply broil slices in a cast-iron pan. No matter the setup, what matters is that the cheese melts to that perfect oozy, golden state.

Slicing the cheese is a deceptively important detail. “Have your cheese shop slice your raclette for you,” recommends Mullican. “It’s hard to slice into perfect slices without the right equipment — but a shop with professional tools can help you out.”

Mullican loves making raclette hot dogs topped with mustard-dill coleslaw — a nod to comfort food with a Swiss twist. He also swears by raclette nachos: “Just toss the cheese and chips in a cast-iron pan, throw it under the broiler. Get the pastrami hot and melty in a skillet, dump it on top — then dress it with Russian dressing and chopped cornichons. Amazing.”

RACLETTE RISING: WHY WE’RE OBSESSED

There’s a reason this melty moment is trending. “There are a lot of Millennials who are seeking experiences over your run-of-the-mill going to chain restaurants,” notes Mullican. “For some younger adults, the rising costs of living make travel prohibitive, so a lot of us seek other little ways to treat ourselves.”

And raclette feels like a treat. It’s luxurious but unfussy, rooted in tradition but endlessly customizable. It’s as welcome at a dinner party as it is at a weeknight meal.

“Draping a blanket of raclette over a baked potato and having a nice glass of wine is a great way to give yourself a little treat,” Mullican adds.

Ledbetter agrees: “Picture this: A long table on a crisp autumn evening, surrounded by friends. The raclette grill is bubbling with creamy cheese. On the table — baby potatoes, grilled asparagus, cornichons, sourdough bread, prosciutto, mushrooms and roasted apples.”

There’s something elemental, almost primal, about melted cheese. And raclette, perhaps more than any other cheese, invites us to slow down, lean in, and savor it together.