Swiss fondue

When in Rome, do as the Romans.

So when in Switzerland, experience a fondue.

We were fortunate enough to have some of the people traveling with us treat us to a traditional Swiss evening – raclette and fondue.

This is a little different than what we are used to at home, but wow! It was good.

Upon arriving at the restaurant in Bern, we decided we had to experience the traditional meal, and so each couple ordered one to share. We each received three courses.

First up was the raclette. At home we now think of the raclette as the serving grill where we cook meats and cheeses in individual serving dishes. The raclette we experienced in Switzerland is a Swiss dish made from a semi-firm cow’s milk cheese that is fashioned into a wheel of about 10 pounds. The dish is made by heating the cheese and scraping off the melted part. Our raclette was served with pickles and potatoes.

Next up was air-dried meat.

And finally, our fondue. We ordered spicy, so received the pot of cheese with peppercorns, red chili peppers and tomatoes sliced inside. Other options had mushrooms, or herbs, or the classic – straight cheese.

It is served with small, hot potatoes and bread. At home we may expect a pot with oil and meat to cook in it. Here it is just a large cast iron pot of delicious cheese.

Thank goodness we shared! Follow that up with some Swiss ice cream for dessert, and everyone went home happy and content.