Once the weather gets colder and the days get shorter, everyone just wants to stay inside and curl up near a nice warm fire. Fondue or Raclette is the prefect pairing for those cold dreary days. A hot pot or plate of cheese served with some of your favourite people all gathered around the table, is the prefect way to bring in the winter season.
Host a party and invite all your friends and family, or just have it be you and your partner curled up enjoying a meal together. Either way warm cheese always helps chase away the cold. Nothing is better than feeling warm and cozy, so perhaps trying out a new cheesy dish this winter season is a great idea. Grab some veggies, fruits, breads, or meats and melt some cheese to smother them in.
Fondue and raclette are both traditional Swiss dishes created to be enjoyed in the Alpines while enjoying winter sports. However, they are now enjoyed all around the world year-round. It makes the perfect addition to any Holiday meal or simply just a Friday night in. Head over to Vincenzo’s online or in-person and pick up all your Fondue or Raclette needs and cozy up this winter.
Fondue is a Swiss dish made from melted cheese and wine, served in a pot typically kept hot with a candle or spirit lamp. It is served as a sharing dish, meant for dipping and to be shared at dinner parties. In the 1930’s it was promoted as a Swiss national dish by the Swiss Cheese Union. During the 1960’s it became popular across North America. Today it is known all over the world as one of the best ways to share a meal with family and friends during the cold weather.
Fondue originally referred to the melted Swiss cheese served in a pot, however, in the 1950’s it became a more generalized term. Now it is used to refer to almost anything served melted and in a pot. For example, there is chocolate Fondue or fondue au chocolat, where pieces of fruit or pastry are dipped into melted chocolate. There is also fondue bourguignonne, where pieces of meat are cooked in hot oil or broth, similar to Chinese Hot Pot.
Fondue is mainly served in the colder weather, as a way of keeping warm. It is most well known as Swiss fondue, enjoyed in the Swiss Alpes. However, there is also French fondue made with French cheeses and Italian Alpine fondue made with Italian cheeses.
Picking your dipping’s for your fondue is almost as important as making the fondue correctly. What you dip will help determine the flavour of the dish and the tone of the meal. There are many different options when it comes to dipping choices.
A few traditional options are:
For less traditional options or to provide more options for your guest, consider the following:
The dipping’s you chose help set the tone for the meal as well as help provide flavour. It also allows you or your guests to customize the meal and add or remove whatever you would like. An important thing to remember with fondue is that you need to pre-cook your food and ensure it is stable, as in won’t fall apart when dipped into the cheese. You can pick up almost all these fun pairings from Vincenzo’s either in-store or online.
Making fondue is easy once you have the right ingredients and tools. Here is an easy recipe for quick fondue that is sure to wow at any party.
What you’ll need:
Ingredients:
Instructions:
From there you can either make all your dipping’s in advance or set up a grill and make everything at the table, in a family style. You are welcome to add additional seasonings to your liking or leave it as is and spicy it up with your dipping’s. Traditionally it would be served with a white wine, but you are welcome to serve it with whatever drink you prefer, just be careful when it comes to your wine or alcohol selection as it can often be too heavy with the cheese.
For some good fondue cheese and other ingredients, check out Vincenzo’s online or in-person.
Raclette is another form of melted Swiss cheese. Many people know raclette as a cheese itself, which is fair as it is also the name of a cheese. However, the cheese is called that and specifically marketed for this melting process.
Traditionally raclette would involve melting the top layer of a half wheel of cheese until it becomes nice and melted. Once melted it would be scraped off with a sort of spatula and placed either on to a plate alone or served on top of boiled potatoes.
Now a days, you can get a specific grill for it. In which the top layer of the grill is meant for communal grilling of all the sides or extras. The bottom part of the grill is meant for a scoop or removeable tray to be placed, which contains the cheese. However, the traditional method is still practiced in many places such as, France, Italy, and Switzerland, and you can even buy a grill do it at home.
Raclette, like fondue is never served on its own but is often paired with sides or extras. Raclette is meant to be just one part of a meal, so adding on vegetables, fruits, or meats is recommended. Unlike fondue, you do not dip your sides into the cheese. The cheese is either poured on top of the sides or placed beside them on the plate and then either eaten with or in between other items. Many popular options for side dishes are:
All these foods will pair great with raclette, as some add balance, some add sweetness, and some just make it richer. Unlike fondue, you can steam your sides or sever almost anything without fear of it falling apart as it is never being dipped, only coated in the cheese. They all provide a great way to complete a meal and round out the dish.
You may be wondering about seasoning, and whether it is like fondue and purely seasoned by the sides and extras. Raclette traditionally has no seasoning and is meant to be enjoyed and celebrated for what it is, the cheese itself is meant to be the star. Now a days, many people enjoy adding a little bit of seasoning, either to the cheese itself as it melts or to the sides. You can add almost whatever seasonings you would like, but you can buy specific seasoning mixes to add if you’d prefer. Many people also like using jams or chutney’s to as a seasoning type sauce pairing to add on top of the cheese or sides.
Check out Vincenzo’s online or in-person to pick up all the pairings you would like, along with seasonings, cheese, and the grill itself.
Another popular thing to do with raclette is throw what is called “Raclette parties”. These parties involve inviting over family and/or friends and gathering around one or more raclette grills and grilling up your ingredients and cheese, all getting to pick and choose what you like.
These parties allow people to come together and share a meal while getting to customize what they are eating. Like fondue it is also a great way for people to warm up during the colder weather. Due to the variety of sides, you can serve all your vegetarian, vegan, and meat eater friends and they can enjoy a full meal without worry. It also allows people to serve themselves and eat at their own pace, as well as make as much as they would like.
A common drink pairing at many parties, is wine. Raclette parties are no exception, as it is traditionally paired and served with white wine. Many people advise against serving with red wine as it can often be too heavy, however, if the wine isn’t too cold either red or white is fine. Any other drink pairing whether it be alcoholic or not is up to you, just keep it light as the meal itself can be very heavy.
Raclette parties over all are a great way to warm up during the colder seasons and a great way to bring together friends and family. So go out a grab yourself some cheese and give it a shot this winter season. Make sure to check out Vincenzo’s online or in-person to pick up everything you need to make a wonderful meal.
150 Caroline Street South at the Bauer Buildings ( King & Allen )
Waterloo, Ontario
519-741-1437
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Mon to Fri: 8:30am - 8:00 pm
Saturday: 8am - 6pm | Sundays: Closed | Special Holiday Hours
