What is the difference between raclette and fondue

According to the Swiss Patrimoine Culinaire, raclette was first presented as a Valais delicacy during a regional culinary exhibition and later began its ascent to beloved dish in the National Exhibition.

But while raclette was slowly rising in popularity, fondue was rocketing into a trend first in Europe and then the world. Fondue owes its faddishness to the Swiss Cheese Union. It was perfect timing. Cooking together over an open flame inspires conversation, if not also warmth and intimacy. Swiss restaurants around the country began serving fondue.

Seeing opportunity, kitchen stores began selling cheap fondue sets, and everyone and their neighbor had one. Just as all fads must, the fondue craze crested. Sax writes that Americans began pulling away from fondue as they became more health-conscious in the s.

But even though the notion of fondue faded from white-hot to conspicuously old-fashioned, the dish itself was perhaps never more accessible than it became in the late 20th century.

In , the Melting Pot was founded in Florida just as the fondue trend was winding down. The future fondue chain branded itself as a place for special occasion dining, with induction burners built directly into its tables. It was well-received in Florida, and growth started out slowly but steadily as the Melting Pot opened a total of 26 locations by But over the aggressive franchise-focused decade that followed, the chain picked up the pace, opening its th location in Just two months ago, he invented a Cuban fondue using a Swiss cheese base, beer, chopped garlic, chopped pickles, finely diced Spanish pork, tavern ham, and yellow mustard with Cuban bread as a dipper.

Sax writes that the Trudeau Corporation sold a million fondue sets in Canada and the United States between and , a growth of tenfold. Only this time, raclette is finally breaking through to American diners.

Raclette has proven to be a popular wintertime treat in Washington, DC, where Eater DC recently rounded up at least five restaurants offering a take on raclette. And restaurants featuring raclette — including it right in their names, no less — have opened in Montreal , Buffalo , and New York in the last couple of years.

Though raclette goes hand-in-hand with fondue, Villongco has a few theories why it originally struggled to find a U. For years, the Valais region of Switzerland remained the sole and relatively small production center of raclette cheese. But in the early s, production spread. Raclette is also a little more complex than fondue. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile.

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