Raclette the Sociable Cheese

As far back as the Middle Ages, shepherds found new strength in a delicious raclette, shared sociably amongst themselves. To do this, they placed half a wheel of cheese next to the stove where it would be heated, after which they collected the softened cheese for an easily-digestible meal. The term "raclette" presumably stems from the expression Racler to scrape off. It is now also made in France, Quebec and here in British Columbia.

Clarke and Nancy Gourlay of Little Qualicum Cheese Works in Parksville on Vancouver Island have been making cheese since 2001. Their Raclette is made from raw, non-heat treated, cow's milk. They milk Brown Swiss/Holstein cross, Jersey, Canadienne, and Ayrshire cows. The cows are pastured for a much of the year as possible. The cheeses are ripened by hand turning and "smearing" each cheese 3 times/week for a period of 6 weeks.

Then the wheels are vacuum packed and aged for 3 - 4 months. The texture and keeping qualities of the cheese will depend on moisture and butter fat levels which vary throughout the year depending on the weather and what the cows are eating.  Little Qualicum's Raclette offers excellent value when compared to its European counterparts. Raclette is best enjoyed using the classic preparation.  I've included a recipe for 4 people.

Ingredients:

o           1 kg of small boiling potatoes of an even size

o           800gr of raclette - slice to the appropriate thickness (4 mm)

o           Cornichons, small pickled silver onions, balsamic onions

o           Ground pepper directly from the grinder

Preparation

o           Wash the potatoes then cook until tender in salted water.  When done, drain and keep warm in a covered dish.

o           Cut the cheese in to pieces which fit the raclette pans for your machine, then place on a plate

o           Prepare dishes of cornichons, etc, and pepper grinder on the table

o           Place cheese in the raclette pans, and when melted serve with potatoes.  (Note:  follow the instructions for your raclette machine)

Feel free to also serve sliced prosciutto or perhaps you might want to cook some sausage meats and vegetables on the top of you raclette machine to accompany the cheese if your machine allows for this.

Suggestions from www.gismondionwine.com

RIESLING

91/100 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Spätlese 2005
Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany
Ripe peach, orange, mango, green apple, floral aromas. Rich, ripe, sweet and fresh with juicy acidity. Full flavoured with ripe mango, orange, baked pear, green apple, clover, slate flavours. Juicy, ripe orange finish. Nice length and intensity with real finesse.
Tasted: 2006-12-15 by AG-ST
Prices: BC $37.67 (750 ml) specialty listing
CSPC: 710145;   UPC: 717215001158
Producer: Weingut Selbach-Oster
Distributor: Waldorf Wine Group Inc.

88/100 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Kabinett 2004
Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany
Leesy, smoky, slate, green apple skin, floral aromas. Fresh, ripe, round, juicy palate with some sweetness but nice finesse. Green apple, lime, grassy, smoky, slate, peach pit flavours. Good juicy style with flavour intensity and elegance.
Tasted: 2006-12-15 by AG
Prices: BC $29.68 (750 ml) specialty listing
CSPC: 566778;   UPC: 626566778216
Producer: Weingut Selbach-Oster
Distributor: Waldorf Wine Group Inc.

87/100 Rabl Riesling Steinhaus 2004
Kamptal, Niederösterreich, Weinland Österreich, Austria
Baked green apple, smoky, buttery, petrol aromas. Ripe, round, full bodied but fresh with some sweetness. Nectarine, baked apple, mineral, spicy, floral, buttery flavours. A bit sour on the finish but should be fine with food.
Tasted: 2006-12-15 by AG-ST
Prices: BC $21.95 (750 ml) speculative listing - 19A Wine Company
CSPC: 0409243;   UPC: 09120018451678
Producer: Weingut Rudolf Rabl
Distributor: 19A-WineCompany; Renaissance Wine Merchants Ltd.

86/100 Balthasar Ress Rheingau Riesling QBA 2005
Rheingau, Germany
Light petrol, slate, lime, floral, green apple, light asparagus aromas. Ripe, round, somewhat sweet entry with mineral, smoky, slate, green apple skin, lime rind flavours with a floral grassy finish. A bit heavy and sweet but has good intensity.
Tasted: 2006-12-15 by AG-ST
Prices: BC $15.99 (750 ml) specialty listing
CSPC: 250506;   UPC: 4018847101336
Producer: Balthasar Ress
Distributor: David Herman & Son Ltd.
 
86/100 Wild Goose Riesling 2005
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
Clover, lees, honey, floral nose. Round, fresh, lively palate and elegant. Green apple skin, lime, floral, leesy, grassy flavours with a touch of honey and mineral. Solid, fresh style.
Tasted: 2006-12-15 by AG-ST
Prices: BC $14.50 (750 ml) Speculative - Peacock and Martin
CSPC: 414730;   UPC: 626990007272
Producer: Wild Goose Vineyards and Winery
Distributor: Continental Peacock and Martin; Peacock and Martin Wine Merchants
 
85/100 The Bishop of Riesling 2005
Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany
Floral, mineral, baked green apple, citrus rind nose. Fresh, elegant, round style with some sweetness. Mineral, slate, green apple skin, marzipan, peach skin flavours. Easy drinking style for food.
Tasted: 2006-12-15 by AG-ST
Prices: AB $10.95 (750 ml) private wine shops; BC $11.99 (750 ml) general listing
CSPC: 036111;   UPC: 4006542053654
Producer: Rudolf Muller
Distributor: Authentic Wine and Spirits Merchants
 
85/100 Piesporter Goldtropfchen Riesling Kabinett 2005
Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany
Very floral, matchstick, lemon pledge, honey nose. Ripe, round, sweet entry with low acidity. Mango, ripe apple, floral, lemon flavours. Solid but just too soft.
Tasted: 2006-12-15 by AG-ST
Prices: AB $13.50 (750 ml) fine wine boutiques; BC $16.99 (750 ml) specialty listing
CSPC: 936922;   UPC: 4006542053760
Producer: Rudolf Muller
Distributor: Authentic Wine and Spirits Merchants

PINOT GRIS

87/100 Church Mouse Pinot Gris Stoney Hill Vineyard 2005
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
The former Victoria Estate Winery has been reborn under California winemaker Bill Dyer (ex-Burrowing Owl). The fruit comes off the Black Sage Bench - Stoney Hill Vineyard. Clean and fresh it offers a wealth of fruit and citrus flavours mixing, red apple, mango, earth and buttery notes. The finish is juicy with just the right amount of acidity. A simple straight-up cool climate pinot gris. Excellent value.
Tasted: 2006-12-30 by AG-ST
Prices: BC $13.95 (750 ml) winery direct and private wine shops
UPC: 840098070109
Producer: Church and State Winery
Distributor: Authentic Wine and Spirits Merchants
 
87/100 Summerhill Pyramid Pinot Gris Organic 2005
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
The latest 'Platinum' organic gris from Summerhill comes off Cana Vineyards at Okanagan Falls. It's aged for eight months on its lees to give it a creamy texture and a small portion is aged in French oak to enhance its weight and adds some complexity. The fruit mixes apples and tropical melons with a dusting of honey and earth. Not cheap but perfect for a wide variety of seafood.
Tasted: 2006-12-30 by AG-ST
Prices: BC $28.95 (750 ml) winery direct
CSPC: 086165;   UPC: 779000115358
Producer: Summerhill Pyramid Winery
Distributor: Renaissance Wine Merchants Ltd.

87/100 Hillside Estate Pinot Gris Reserve Series 2005
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
Very floral, perfumy, citrus, honey, mineral, tangerine peel nose. Ripe, round, dry, slightly oily texture with lees, mineral, apple skin, floral, citrus flavours. A bit austere on the finish but solid for food. Good effort.
Tasted: 2007-01-06 by AG
Prices: BC $17.95 (750 ml) winery direct
CSPC: 536219;   UPC: 626990019176
Producer: Hillside Estate Winery Ltd.
Distributor: Renaissance Wine Merchants Ltd.
 
85/100 Bollini Pinot Grigio Trentino 2001
Volano, Trento, Trentino- Alto-Adige, Italy
Floral, citrus, grassy, green apple aromas with a touch of honey. Soft, round, fresh palate with grassy, mineral, apple skin, nutty, lees flavours. Simple, forward Euro-style grigio.
Tasted: 2007-01-06 by AG
Prices: AB $16.75 (750 ml) fine wine boutiques; BC $16.95 (750 ml) Empson Canada; ON $15.95 (750 ml)
UPC: 726452000039
Producer: Empson and Company
Distributor: Empson Canada Inc.

85/100 See Ya Later Ranch Pinot Gris 2005
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
Butterscotch, honey, vanilla, nutty lees, floral nose. Soft, round, dry, slightly fat entry with lots of butter, vanilla, smoky oak, cedar, mineral, honey flavours with a salty, floral, buttered popcorn finish. More chardonnay/pinot blanc than pinot gris.
Tasted: 2007-01-06 by AG-ST
Prices: BC $19.99 (750 ml) winery direct, VQA and private wine shops
CSPC: 075739;   UPC: 624738011055
Producer: Hawthorne Mountain Vineyards
Distributor: Vincor International

Cheese info courtesy of the mother & daughter team of Alice & Allison Spurrell stock the larders of the city's finest restaurants and your fridge alike.  They fill their shelves with over 400 cheeses, including local, raw milk French, Italian and other specialties.  Browse their selection of foie gras, pâtés, crackers, biscuits, varietal olive oils, vinegars and other specialty food items.  There is a full kitchen on premises where in addition, they prepare frozen ready to heat meals.

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