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Cheese Preparation Methods

Girolle The full flavor of Tete de Moine is only revealed when the cheese is scraped or peeled in thin ruffles or rosettes using a girolle. The girolle consists of a wooden stand with a vertical rod, upon which a blade is mounted such that it can be cranked in order to scrape the top of the Tete de Moine cheese. A wonderful gift for anyone who enjoys fine Switzerland cheese. It also makes an impressive display at a small party.

FONDUE This warm cheese dish originated in Switzerland. The dish consists of at least two varieties of cheeses that are melted with wine and a bit of flour and served communally out of pot. Long forks are used by each guest to spear a cube of bread then the bread is dipped into the cheese and eaten. Most recipes we see for "traditional" Swiss style fondue are a combination of two cheeses, Gruyere and Emmenthaler. These two cheeses are combined because either cheese alone would produce either a mixture that was too sharp or too bland. The cheeses are most commonly melted in a dry white wine, which helps to keep the cheese from the direct heat as it melts as well as to add flavor.

Raclette is a dish consumed in Switzerland and France. Traditionally, the Swiss cow herders used to take the cheese with them when they were bringing or getting the cows from the pastures up in the mountains. In the evenings at the fire, they would place the cheese next to the camp fire and, when it had reached the perfect softness, scrape it on top of some bread. Today, the Raclette cheese is heated, either in front of a fire or by a special machine, then scraped onto diners' plates (the term raclette derives from the French racler, to scrape). Traditionally, it is accompanied by small firm potatoes, small gherkins, pickled onions, a selection of dried meats (such as prosciutto, parma ham or Bunderfleisch), sliced peppers, tomato, onion, mushrooms paprika and fresh black pepper.