Cuisine & Hosting : Warm Winter Recipes

Traditional Winter Dishes

Raclette

Deep in the Valais ("Wallis" in German), you will find the origin of the raclette. But this isn't France! Valais is a canton in southern Switzerland and home to the pyramid-shaped Matterhorn mountain, upscale Alpine resorts, and upper Rhône River Valley vineyards.

The first traces of raclette, a favorite French winter meal, can be traced back to the Valais at the end of the 12th century. Until 1921, when the raclette oven was invented, these giant rounds of cheese melted carefully in the fireplace over logs.

Raclette was traditionally celebrated during a mid-August festival when the first cheese rounds were made. Sometimes cheeses from the different valleys and alpine pastures would have a parish priest come to bless them.

Where to Go: Raclette in Paris

Dusting off the cheesy traditions, MonBleu is new-wave raclette.

Damien Richardot, the founder of MonBleu Restaurant in Paris, grew up in the Alps in Chartreuse between Isère and Savoie. "Every morning, I drank fresh milk, still hot just after milking," he explains. "After, the would cheese arrive at our family table, and I developed a taste and knowledge at a young age."

Studies took Damien far from the mountains - to New York, where he became a strategic consultant and eventually moved back to Paris. "In 2016, I decided to return to my first love and dive into this world of cheese that had made me dream so much for a long time," shares Richardot. "I go to meet producers, craftsmen, and traders abroad, especially in France's four corners. I then discovered Pierre Gay, who shared his passion and knowledge of cheese with great generosity. A friendship was born around a common passion."

There are now two MonBleu locations in Paris and a third one on the way. A few minutes from the Grands Boulevards, Monbleu Faubourg Montmartre is a restaurant and cheese shop. Book a table online to discover their menu around cheese and good seasonal products. And to accompany it all: craft beers and an extensive wine list.

THE RACLETTE MADE OF DREAMS

CLOCHE à FROMAGE

Founded in 1988 by René Tourrette, Cloche à Fromage earns its name from the stunning glass dome that greets you as you enter the restaurant, recognized as the largest in the world by the Guinness Book Records in 1989.

When I planned our trip to Strasbourg last year, this restaurant continually landed on all of the top lists. To the point that even though my trip was three months away, there was only ONE open table during our stay. And I have been pining to go back ever since.

Cheese connoisseurs, novice amateurs, and the simply curious are all welcomed here by their expert staff. The "cloche" (French for "bell") houses up to ninety different kinds of cheese for you to explore and taste.