Posted on 09/29/2018 5:48:07 PM PDT by Jamestown1630
I recently discovered Raclette – which term can refer to a type of cheese, a kind of dinner party, or a unique table-top grill. As a dish, Raclette is similar to Fondue, and evolved from the practice of Swiss cowherds taking cheese with them as they tended their herds in the mountains, and melting the cheese over campfires to eat on bread. Traditional accompaniments are potatoes, gherkins, pickled onions, and various cured meats.
It looks like a fun way to entertain in that it’s a dish or dinner where everyone is involved in choosing and cooking their own portion; but it’s less messy than fondue, and offers more variety in terms of ingredients and ways to cook them. You can grill or warm over various meats and vegetables on the top of the grill, while melting portions of cheese in the little pans underneath. And if you don't want to make a meal of it, I'm thinking it could be a nice break-the-ice hors d'oeuvre with drinks, to get a dinner or cocktail party started.
It also seems uniquely suited to low-carb eating, adding interest and variety.
Raclette cheese can be be purchased online; but it can be difficult to source locally in many areas of the US. I believe it will become more available, but in the meantime you can substitute Gruyere, Emmental, Fontina or Appenzeller.
Here, from the website Viva, is a typical recipe for two:
http://www.viva.co.nz/article/food-drink/raclette-and-vegetable-grill-recipe/
and here’s an ad/demonstration for one of the popular brands:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Wfqts9weaY
Raclette machines come in various shapes and sizes; I think I’m in the market for one, and if anyone has one they like, let me know!
Here are reviews of some of the other brands; the Boska Holland ‘mini’ looks great if you just want to try it out, or want one just for your small family:
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I also discovered ‘Texas Tornado Cake’, from Phyllis Stokes of ‘Southern Frugal’; it’s a cake with fruit cocktail, brown sugar, nuts and coconut; a little more complicated than the average ‘dump’ cake, but looks really wonderful. There are lots of variations on this cake, including one using canned pineapple instead of the fruit cocktail. Phyllis includes links to the recipes she used/adapted:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8jyrEl31vs
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I’ve been an avid birdwatcher all my life, and while searching for something bird-related I happened to find the YouTube channel of Maurice Baker, a gentleman in Shropshire, England who photographs the feathered life in his garden. He has many informative and beautiful videos about birds, but also many of Nature and wildlife in general, with outstanding photography accompanied by restful, ambient music:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GN73qE3TWmg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_fzRygNIUY
About Maurice:
https://www.youtube.com/user/MauriceBaker100/about
-JT
(Disclaimer: I am not associated/compensated in any way with regard to the promotion of the various appliances and other items - or the websites - that I write about on this thread. They are simply things that I’ve personally found interesting and want to share.)
This Month: Raclette! - a fun way to share good food, drinks and conversation with friends and family; also an unusual dump cake; and a little something restful and beautiful to help restore us after an infuriating week.
(If you would like to be on or off of this cooking thread ping list, please send a private message.)
-JT
Coming into winter and thinking about doing that bean soup.
After having it on my wish list forever, I broke down and ordered “America’s Test Kitchen” cookbook and it arrived yesterday. Sadly, after a quick perusal, I’m not very impressed. The recipes aren’t arranged well. Example - the pork chops are in a different section from pork roasts. I buy pork loins on sale and cut them up any which way so it could be stew pieces or chops or roasts or shredded. I want a PORK section with every cut rather than having to hunt something down in this and that and the other section. The brunch section is a mishmash of everything so you’d never find what you’re looking for if it’s even in there.
Half or so is devoted to desserts and breads so not low carb. Too many breaded meats. Too many pastas and rice. Very few vegetable recipes.
I spent some time looking at lentil soup recipes today. I think I may have found one that I’ll like, after many disappointing experiments.
Watch this space ;-)
Apricot Frangipane Tart
Have an identical Wilton tart pan on the way and found a great recipe to make almond paste from a $10 bag of almond meal from the supermarket. Will have to improvise w/canned apricot halves.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qifOtRt2RT0 - Youtube
Also found a recipe for shrimp, veggies and ramen noodles. Will post a link if anybody wants it.
Hope all are well!
PS See I'm out of sync as to topic as usual. Am addicted to recipes then buy stuff at the store or carry out lol.
Cheese. I’m just happy to finally learn that that white Mexican melting cheese the Food Network is always talking about is basically the same thing as mozzarella. That’s as fancy as my store gets.
Thanks
Hi, we bought a nice big wedge of raclette at a cheese shop up north this summer and it’s still unopened in the fridge. Just today I saw it again and thought I’ve got to find something to do with this. Thanks!
I’ve made a similar recipe. Yum. Yes, canned apricots work fine.
You don’t need to buy almond meal. Just dump some whole almonds in your food processor and add sugar. Waay cheaper.
We have a couple of the America’s Test Kitchen cookbooks from the TV show; we bought them largely because we used to watch the show and liked a lot of the recipes.
We’ve never used an America’s Test Kitchen recipe that didn’t turn out very well; our favorite is a recipe for Chicken and Dumplings. I think they’ve done quicker and lighter versions, but this appears to be the one that we use. It’s always been a hit at office parties:
I wonder if there are enough of us birders/birdwatchers to have a thread on here ;-). There used to be an occasional picture thread, but been awhile since I’ve been pinged to that.
As part of an ongoing home remodel I now have a liquor “cart”, Nespresso coffee station, new charcoal Kamado grill and soon to have a nice new convection stove. Need to get back to making more of my own healthy meals. I think the liquor cart make get some cheese accouterments.
Was able to use a discount to purchase some Wagyu streaks. Greatest steaks ever, but I think the taste was actually too rich for me.
What is it like? When I was trying to learn about it I found some articles that described it as rather pungent.
Ooo! You can sellout on eBay.
Also, I,myself, try keep from buying the book until I check it out at the library. If it only has one or two recipes,I just photocopy them.
My local cheese store has “Raclette Night” at the end of each month. Here’s a photo of it one night:
https://milkfarmla.com/event/raclette-night-at-eagle-rock-music-festival/
other photos of Raclette Night and to the right of it:
There used to be a gentleman who posted an occasional thread of his beautiful photography of birds. I’ll try looking back and figure out who it was.
I found Maurice Baker because I was looking for videos on learning to hand-feed wild birds. I’ve been feeding the birds outside my workplace for about 8 years; they all know me, and follow me around now when I walk out. I’ve been hesitant to condition them to hand-feeding, for fear that they will mistake someone else for me and perhaps be hurt - a lot of people really don’t like birds, and are afraid to have them flying around their heads.
But I’ve reconsidered. I don’t think that will be a problem with truly wild birds; it seems to sometimes be a problem with imprinted rescues who are later released.
After birds get used to you as a food source, you can begin putting the food on a glove, perhaps on a long stick, so that they don’t have to come near you, but begin to associate the glove with food; and after awhile, you can put the glove on your hand. But there are lots of other ways:
https://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/stories/how-to-get-birds-to-eat-out-of-your-hand
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SCTtu2EUg0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MC-7Vh-olmI
The bird videos are beautiful. Thank you, for the links.
We’ve bought it before from the same cheese shop years ago, kind of on the smoky swiss side very good.
That Freeper was Swampsniper. RIP but occasionally some friend posts a thread in his honor, could probably search for a thread with Swampsniper in the title.
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