Quotes about raclette

Raclette, more than just a dish, is an experience. A ritual of sharing, conviviality, hunger, and (let's be honest) great appetite . But beyond the melted cheese and potatoes , raclette has a rich history, dotted with quotes about raclette and references that testify to its roots in Valais culture. Let's dive deep into this tasty history, in search of a selection of all the quotes and speeches that have shaped the legend of raclette.

At the roots of taste: the Roman "vatusic"

Although Pliny the Elder did not leave a direct quote on how "vatusique", the ancestor of Alpine cheese , was consumed, its existence testifies to a rich cheese-making tradition in the Graian and Pennine Alps region. This recognition of the quality of the region's cheeses is a first step in the history of our favorite dish.

16th century: the first written quote

It is to Gaspard Ambuel, known as Collinus, a Valaisan doctor, that we owe the first definition of raclette . In 1574, he described how the Valaisans "roasted cheese " during cures at the waters of Augstbord (Valais, Switzerland).

The key quote :

"Every day a crowd of people flock to this place, called "Augstport"; they make a fire there with the help of bunched branches of Alpine roses (rhododendrons), because in this place one finds no other species of shrubs or trees. They sit down, take out of their small bag or satchel some provisions, each according to their means and melt tasty cheeses , fat, sweet and tender, with a bitter taste..." (Collinus, 1574)

This quote about raclette takes us back to the origins, where the meal was transformed into a ritual of well-being.

Grégoire Ghika , the former cantonal archivist, develops Ambuel's text and translates:

"They roast old hard, fatty and even soft cheeses , or old quark, which they sprinkle with large quantities of water from the spring, affirming that they are never saturated with it."

18th and 19th centuries: raclette gains importance

Abbot Clément, in 1768, mentioned "the abuse of roasted cheese ", a need among the Valaisans. Schiner, at the beginning of the 19th century, described roasted cheese served at funeral and wedding meals . These mentions testify to the growing place of cheese in local traditions. We are far from a diet !

Schiner adds:

"In Anniviers , married people live frugally all the time, to be able to bury their loved ones properly, because they give good wine, boiled meats, roasts; the meal is started with roast cheese , and is finished in the same way..."

The emergence of the term "raclette": a brief retrospective

Although the practice was common, the term "raclette" appeared later. In 1874, Eugène Rambert associated the name with the practice:

"If you believe me, delicate gourmets, you will go to Sion at the time of the râclette; the cheeses come down from the mountain, we take one, fatty and done to perfection, it is by choosing well that we know our talent, then we cut it into two equal halves and pass the slice over a large brazier. When it is nice and golden, nice and red, nice and melting, in full boiling, we scrape it with a quick stroke of the knife blade, we spread everything that the knife has removed and there you have the râclette. A very simple and exquisite thing..." (Eugène Rambert, 1888)

Rambert describes in detail the preparation and tasting of raclette , emphasizing its festive character, like a reward. This sentence about raclette is a call to gluttony.

He continues:

"Take an erratic block for a hearth, gather all around it, in the shade of the larches, the most amiable company: young girls... Take the two most valiant boys as cooks, let each have his brazier and his half-cheese: serve hot, eat hot; circulate a clear, light, sparkling wine; leave to some lively young girl the pretty job of cupbearer and say if raclette is not the king of treats."

Raclette in popular culture: a unifying dish

From the end of the 19th century, Valais newspapers mentioned raclette , a sign of its popularity on the menu.

In 1875, the newspaper Le Villageois wrote:

"...and we'll see wonders," concludes the inventor of the recipe, highly recommended to our raclette club members, blissfully.

The Friend of the People reported in 1880:

"On Friday, October 15, a charming evening concluded, at the Glacière restaurant, the examinations undergone the day before and the same day by eight new notaries. The audience numbered nearly forty people, including several magistrates, deputies, lawyers, etc. who had made a point of showing by their presence the pleasure they felt at finding themselves in the midst of a youth animated by the best feelings. The toasts and the gay remarks alternating with the declamations and the songs, gave to the traditional raclette a very particular flavor; so the hours passed very quickly and it was all too soon that we had to exchange the parting handshake."

The newspaper points out that the term "traditional" proves that the name and the practice were already known before 1880. The search for moments of conviviality then involves the fork , cheese and cold meats .

Conclusion: a gourmet heritage and an invitation to love raclette

These quotes and historical references in this article remind us that raclette is much more than just a meal . It is a heritage, a tradition, a moment of sharing and reward after a day of work, without the need to diet. Each bite is a journey through time, a celebration of the Valais territory . So, the next time you enjoy a raclette , think with humor about all those voices that have sung its praises throughout the centuries. And have no regrets , let your appetite speak! The love of raclette is a feeling that is shared, a strong cultural root . So, to the table! And long live the proverbs about raclette !