Growing up, I was never liked cheese that much. Within the past few years, I have realized that cheeses can vary so much in taste, texture and appearance. There are some that I don't like as much (such as goat cheese), but I have found that I really enjoy a sharp, hard cheese! In France, I have tried a bunch of regional cheeses that all have completely different qualities. That being said, I was a tad nervous to try the fondue and raclette. After my first bite though, I couldn't stop! The melted cheese was warm and filling and paired extremely well with everything else at the table. Between the eight of us, we finished all the fondue and practically a quarter wheel of raclette! By the time the bill came, I was so full that I felt like my stomach was going to explode!
Both the fondue and raclette were extremely easy to prepare, both were just melted cheese! The fondue came in a ceramic bowl with a lit flame underneath, so it stayed hot throughout the meal. It looked a bit like soup, and at one point, it even started boiling! The raclette was brought out in its original half-wheel form, just like something you might find at a cheese shop (or, as they call them in France, a fromagerie). The half-wheel rested under a small heater placed next to our table, and whenever someone wanted some, the person sitting closest to the raclette would use a special knife to scrape some melted cheese right off the top. I still can't believe that I ate melted cheese for dinner!
