Stinky Cheese

Mimi introduced us to raclette long ago.

She talked about being in Switzerland, where the rounds of raclette cheese were heated on stones in front of a fire and the melty parts scraped off onto a plate with warm potatoes, small sour Cornichons, and little white pickled onions.  Ideally one would be in the Alps, after a day of hiking or skiing, when one settled down in front of the fire to a plate of this tasty hot oozy cheese.

We have not yet made it to Switzerland to experience this (I borrowed the photo of the authentic method of making raclette from this blog.)

However Mimi has made sure that we have experienced raclette!  With real raclette cheese.
For a long time she couldn't get the right cheese here and we heard much about her search for authentic raclette cheese.  This search often involved driving to distant large cities.  Now she finds it at Krogers.

 

Her little red raclette maker has served many a meal. 

We've gathered at her house, where raclette was on the menu for special occasions over many years.

But not just at Mimi's house - the little red raclette maker has been carried to many other spots.

Mimi has a careful list of things to remember to bring when she travels with raclette.

We all loved raclette on the porch at the farm.

Here the raclette maker is shiny and new -

And here it has become a bit battered.

But it still produces that wonderful treat.

I was delighted when Mimi arrived with the old raclette maker and four chunks of odoriferous cheese for my birthday.  I like a meal with a history!

 The traditional wooden plates, the bowl of warm potatoes, the slices of baguette, farm-fresh ripe tomatoes, sour pickles and Italian red wine graced the table.

Keep on serving, Mimi -

Viva la Raclette!!!