A Slice of the Alps in New England
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Welcome to Alpine Mountain Cheese, an infrequent newsletter about the unexpected deliciousness of gooey and crispy raclette cheese. I’m Ben Piscopo, creator of Ben’s Raclette and passionate roaster of fine mountain cheeses.
Raclette, pronounced ruh-CLET or RAH-clet, hails from the Valais region of Switzerland in the gorgeous valleys below the Matterhorn. The cows in these valleys munch on high-mountain grasses and blossoms which contribute to the rich, nutty flavor of this delightful cheese.
“Toasted Cheese”
Originally melted over campfire as early as 1574 [a], peasants and cow herders would scrape this “toasted cheese specialty” onto whatever food they had available. Many of the countries that touch the Alps enjoy raclette cheese during the Fall and Winter months. You’ll find variations of it in Germany, Italy, France, and Austria.
Today, Ben’s Raclette specializes in a French street-food version of this exquisite cheese. I discovered this variation while visiting relatives in Berlin, Germany around the holidays a few years ago. Christmas markets around the Alps typically serve raclette on bread or potatoes, with cornichons and pickled onions.
Since 2023 I have been sharing this alpine cheese experience at outdoor markets, breweries, and ski mountains around New England. If a trip to the Alps is not in the cards soon, then why not try raclette-on-baguette at one of my upcoming public events?
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This free newsletter serves a few purposes:
Reviews - The world of alpine mountain cheeses is beautiful and complex. As I melt different wheels of cheese at my cart, I will also review them here. Have you tried Alpine Blossom raclette yet? We served it on Ben’s Raclette’s 1st anniversary party and it was unforgettable.
Stories - Folks share amazing stories with me while the cheese is roasting. Some of the more interesting ones might be posted here, while other stories come from my own cherished visits to the mountains.
Updates - The cheese cart is mobile and until the day we serve cheese from a single location, our updates will show you when and where you can try these fascinating cheeses.
Again, welcome to Alpine Mountain Cheese for the Greater Boston area! I’m delighted to bring this incredible food experience to New England and I hope to see you at a market, brewery, or ski mountain soon.
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[a] Wikipedia.org - “Raclette”
[b] MySwitzerland.com - “Valaisan cheese dish”