In the first week of the new year, there’s a lot of pressure to try to create a different, supposedly better version of yourself. You’re encouraged to get a gym membership, start making salads all the time and stop binge-watching so much Netflix. Don’t get me wrong—I love the idea of self-improvement, and if January is the time when you feel the most motivated to make those necessary changes in your life, then you should go for it.
But for many (if not most) of us, January is absolutely not an inspiring, motivating time. It’s cold. There are limited daylight hours. Can’t we just rest until spring comes and we actually feel like moving again?
Winter is not the time for a 30-day HIIT workout challenge. It’s the time to eat cheese, and lots of it. And that’s why raclette may just be my favorite wintertime treat.
What Is Raclette?
Fondue may get most of the Swiss cheese-related press, but raclette, which also hails from Switzerland, deserves its moment in the limelight too. Raclette is a kind of cheese that’s cooked in a special grill of the same name. After spending a few minutes under the heat, the previously hard cheese melts down into a gooey topper for a variety of (often carb-heavy) ingredients. Raclette grills usually have several different pans, so everyone around the table can melt their own cheese to their liking.
It’s warm, it’s comforting and it’s exactly what anyone who lives in a cold climate wants to eat once the temperatures drop below freezing. Plus, it’s just as easy solo as it is with a group of people (though the latter is more fun).
What to Serve with Raclette
Once you get your hands on a raclette grill (or just find another way to melt your cheese if you don’t want to invest in a new kitchen appliance), it’s time to figure out what you want to serve with your raclette. Generally, the hot cheese is drizzled onto other, easy-to-eat ingredients. Carbs are a great place to start. Toasted baguette and baked potatoes are both solid options, as is corn.
Truthfully, raclette doesn’t require any meat at all—the cheese is more than hearty enough to stand up on its own. If you do want some meat on the table, though, cured meats, sausage and chopped pieces of lamb will all bulk up the meal even more.
All that cheese calls for some fresh veggies as well, which should account for a significant portion of your spread. Raclette pairs well with a wide array of vegetables, ranging from mushrooms and eggplant to cauliflower and broccoli to peppers and tomatoes. Pickled cucumbers and other pickled vegetables work especially well here, as they offer a tang that can stand up to the fatty melted cheese. Don’t be afraid to cut up whatever vegetables you have in the fridge to add to the table.
A Slow Meal
Perhaps what I love most about raclette is the pace of the meal. Having to cook each individual slice of cheese one by one gives you more time to slow down and savor your food. It’s relaxing, enjoyable and preferably social.
In that way, raclette is basically the antithesis of everything our culture wants January to be. We’re told the beginning of the year is the right time to hustle, to strive, to achieve. It’s not. In the past, people who lived in cold climates rested and ate satisfying meals during the winter to keep themselves strong throughout the colder months of the year. It’s natural for us to want to slow down and enjoy, regardless of the New Year’s resolutions we make with the best of intentions.
Raclette is not for those who are trying to stick to their new restrictive diet or trying to beat their PR at the gym come January 1. It’s for the people who still want to be stuck in holiday mode for another few months until the weather warms up, for the people who recognize that sometimes, success isn’t meant to be rushed. We’ve been told that we must constantly improve, start a new side hustle, get a new promotion. We can take that work on when we’re ready for it. But in the meantime, can we give ourselves a break and just eat some cheese?
Samantha Maxwell is a food writer and editor based in Boston. Follow her on Twitter at @samseating.