in
Grindelwald). Dishes of melted cheese were mentioned in medieval texts from Swiss
convents as early as 1291. Melted cheese was originally consumed by peasants in the mountainous Alpine regions of the cantons of
Valais and
Fribourg (Switzerland), and
Savoie and
Haute-Savoie (France). It was then known in the
German-speaking part of Switzerland as or , "roasted cheese". Traditionally, cow herders carried cheese with them when they were moving cows to or from pastures up in the mountains. In the evening, the cheese would be placed next to a
campfire for softening, then scraped onto bread. Melting raclette-type cheese in front of a fire is attested in Valais since 1574. Since 1875, the French term
raclette is commonly used for this dish. At the 1909 Cantonal Exhibition of Sion, raclette was promoted as a national dish of Valais. Raclette eventually gained national (and international) popularity from the
1964 National Exhibition. In Valais, raclette is typically served with potatoes,
cornichons (fermented, pickled cucumbers), pickled onions, black tea, other warm beverages, or
Fendant wine. A popular French option is to serve it with white wine, such as
Savoy wine, but
Riesling and
pinot gris are also common. Traditionally, it is consumed with black tea, since a warm beverage is considered to improve digestion. ==Dish==