The dish may be one of the most popular in France, but France can also dress up sometimes. This weekend, the smell of melted cheese enveloped Morgins, a village in Valais (Switzerland) that prides itself on being the cradle of raclette. The first Raclette World Championships were organized in this alpine environment. And the astonishing competition ended on Sunday with an almost complete triumph of Swiss know-how.
Raclette, which embodies Switzerland as much as fondue, chocolate and banks, was born several centuries ago when shepherds heated cheese near a wood fire and scraped off the melted part to feed it. But never before have manufacturers, experts and restaurateurs come together under one roof to choose the best raclette in the world.
Almost 90 raclette cheese producers took part. “All these people are small farmers who go to the mountain pastures with their cows at the beginning of summer,” explained Henri-Pierre Galletti, one of the founders of the event. “It’s a way for them to promote their work, which is hard but so beautiful work,” he enthused. Morgins, located more than 1,300 meters above sea level in a wooded valley not far from the French border, also welcomed almost 10,000 raclette enthusiasts who watched the competition.
The judges combine up to 15 types of cheese
This Saturday, half wheels of cheese will be placed under electric raclette grills in the kitchen of the community center. The cooking time varies depending on the cheese and is determined by sight. When the first bubbles appear but before it turns brown, the cheese is scraped out and served to the jury. “The flavor is in the fat,” explains one of the “scrapers,” Jean-Michel Dubosson, as he scrapes off another portion with the back of his knife. “It’s especially important not to heat it too quickly. »
As the kitchen comes to life, there is a respectful silence in the room as the judges deftly wrap the cheese around their fork before tasting it. “We are looking for a raclette that is creamy and smooth, has a beautiful appearance and a beautiful color,” explains Eddy Baillifard. And “the raclette pope” continues: “The taste is a nice texture, no wire, no rope, no rubber.”
The judges taste a maximum of 15 cheeses per session before their senses are overwhelmed. With hot black tea or apple slices you can refresh your palate and start again. .
Tricolor silver medal
There were three categories: raw milk raclette, raw milk raclette and the other raclette cheese category. All prizes were won by Helvetians, with the exception of EARL Les Noisetiers, who came from neighboring France, from Leschaux in Haute-Savoie. The French won the silver medal in the Alpine raw milk premier class.
Although most participants came from Switzerland or France, teams from Belgium, Canada, Italy and Romania were also in the race. And the next edition is expected to feature producers from Great Britain, Japan, Norway, Sweden and even Kyrgyzstan.
“It’s a great pleasure to be here and represent Romania, for us it’s a great thing,” said Narcis Pintea, 34, who learned his craft in Switzerland before returning to the country. “There are several ingredients that make raclette so enjoyable, but the most important thing is the people you share it with.” “In good company, raclette is already 80% successful,” he said.