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The Melting Process

Traditionally Raclette grilling involves taking a wheel of cheese, cutting it in half and exposing one of the halves to an open fire. After it has melted or reached a crispy consistency it is then scraped off with a knife onto a waiting plate and eaten with potatoes and other accompaniments. The cheese's natural rind (the coating) would act as a form of casing and when placed near the fire the exposed body of the cheese would melt. This process would require a certain amount of patience as you needed to wait for the cheese to melt or wait your turn in the queue and hence the development of new and improved appliances to heat and melt the cheese.

While the romantic way of eating Raclette by the fireplace has changed over the centuries, it is still served this authentic way in some restaurants in the rustic villages hidden in the Alps. Today it has become more convenient with the help of special electric devices, the raclette grills.

Raclette Oven

Raclette Grills

In Switzerland, a charcoal or wood-burning stove or fireplace is used for melting the cheese, although specially-designed electric infra-red grills have been increasingly popular nowdays. These appliances have fast heating elements and the convenience of special cheese block holders which can be placed at varying distances from the cheese. This speeds up the whole melting process and cuts down on waiting time.

Table Grills

Table Grill Being widely popular in Germany and France the most modern and exciting version of the Raclette grill comes in the form of an electrical appliance designed for your table top where up to 10 family or guests can enjoy the raclette dinning experience together at the same time. Common to many French and German households as the toaster is to us here in Australia, these types of Raclette grills look like a regular hot plate. The difference is there is a slot underneath the heating element and each guest is able to take special equally sized pans with handles and slide them underneath where they can melt their own portion of cheese and ingredients. The top hot plate can also be used as a regular grill for cooking sausages, meat or kebabs and some models are even ideal for making pancakes.

These raclette grills can be one of the most versatile cooking appliances you can own and one that easily gains all the attention at the centre of your dinner table.