Melted cheese is a thing of beauty. Never mind your preference regarding the type, I’m sure we can all agree that gooey, melty cheese is just the thing to pull us out of the winter doldrums. My go to melty meal of choice? Raclette.

The name of both cheese and meal is often met with sighs of appreciation and longing at first mention. Anyone who has experienced this centuries old tradition likely remembers it fondly. If you haven’t, think back to your first grilled cheese or macaroni and cheese that used high quality cheese. Remember that comforting feeling and delicious experience. Now I want you to imagine multiplying that feeling by at least five. That’s what Raclette will do you.

Raclette is a traditional Swiss alpine cheese made of cow’s milk that is aged at least three months and finished with brine baths to further develop its aroma and flavor. The result is a slightly stinky, but very creamy, decadent semifirm paste that, of course, begs to be melted. Most people will tell you the meal based on this cheese was started around the campfires of hunters who mainly ate potatoes, pickles, and this cheese while on long hunts. The story goes that the cheese ended up too close to the fire, melted over the potatoes, and voila, Raclette (the meal) was born.

Over the past few centuries, many iterations of raclette grill contraptions have arisen. Some have a long, thin heating element to melt on face of a quarter wheel of the cheese. Others resemble an Easy Bake Oven with small plates inserted under larger heating elements that can be removed and the cheese scraped over your starch and protein of choice. If you’re dying to experience this melty meal but aren’t so crazy about aquiring another crazy kitchen contraption, fear not, I love this meal and have never used anything other than my oven.

You’ll need Raclette, potatoes, and cornichons for the most basic version of this meal. I love to also include thin slices of Speck, crusty bread, pickled onions, and a big green salad when I’m making this for friends. Whatever you choose, you’ll remember it fondlt and crave it often. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Raclette
Serves 4-6

• 2 pounds sliced Raclette, rinds removed
• 1.5 pounds boiled fingerling potatoes
• 1 loaf artisan bread, sliced
• Sliced speck, prosciutto, or roasted meats
• 1 jar cornichons
• 1 jar pickled onions
• Other vegetables, mustard, or condiments, if desired

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lay slices of raclette on the bottom of a shallow baking dish or small baking sheet. Bake for about 5-10 minutes, or until cheese is completely melted and beginning to bubble and liquefy.  Scrape over potatoes, bread, and any protein selections. Season with salt and pepper, serve immediately with cornichons, pickles, and other vegetables and sides.

“Ask Matt Caputo” is an ongoing feature where Matt answers commonly asked questions from the market. This week, he discusses the mislabelling of EVOO found in many grocery stores.

Q: I heard that most Extra Virgin Olive Oils found in grocery stores are mislabeled. How so?

A: Last week, 60 Minutes had a big exposé on how 70 to 80% of the olive oils found in U.S. grocery stores are mislabeled, meaning they are not real Extra Virgin grade.

Although it was “breaking news,” this is not new news. Tom Mueller first broke this story in a 2007 New Yorker article titled “Slippery Business.” But even before then, we knew something was not right in the industry. We were seeing incredibly vibrant-green colors in olive oils that tasted flat, stale, and worse.

After years and years of blind taste tests, I can identify between dozens of oils and name the brand and region of production (I’ve even been able to impress my wife, Yelena, with this skill). I’ve learned to put a lot of faith in my nose and palate.

Over the years, any oil whose flavor, aromas, and textures did not add up to the claims on the label were discontinued at Caputo’s. We always eagerly analyze samples for quality before putting products on our shelves.

We do not stop at blind taste tests, however. We wanted to make certain, so in cases where the price seemed too good to be true, we sent the oils in for professional taste tests to Agbiolab where they conduct many gustatory, chemical, and other scientific tests on olives and olive oil. At no small expense, we have had them run a full spectrum of tests—a tasting panel, UV light test, chemical analysis, etc.—on oils we were curious about.

When a study came out by the UC Davis Olive Center that tested 40 popular brands of olive oil showing how the vast majority of them failed the tests to be called Extra Virgin, we were proud—but not surprised—that Caputo’s did not carry a single one of them.

The moral of the story: Even the less expensive Extra Virgin Olive Oils on Caputo’s shelves are the real deal, and those that are more expensive have been selected for a reason and will be worth every penny. The only thing to decide upon is whether you would like a grassy Sicilian, a thistly Tuscan, or a more complex Umbrian oil.

We keep samples open, so patrons can taste each to ensure they are going to enjoy their purchase. So come on in!

Disclaimer: While Matt Caputo is a Certified Cheese Professional and specialty food fanatic, he is not a medical professional, doctor, or certified nutritionist. Please consult with your doctor or other qualified health care professional before making any healthcare decisions, diagnostics or treatment decisions based on Matt’s answers.

What a year 2015 was! We had loads of fun with our ever-growing chocolate selection, we introduced the world to our amped-up array of bitters and bar goods, and we pulled out some seriously fantastic cheese from our cheese caves. It was tasty year indeed, but I can’t wait to show you what we’ve got in store for 2016. Let’s welcome the new year with our first cravings of 2016:

CHEESE: Raclette

Of course, one raclette couldn’t suffice for us at Caputo’s. You do need options, after all, when you decide to tackle a traditional, melted-alpine-cheese-themed meal. We’ve got both Swiss and French raclette to help you and your friends stay warm this January. Raclette is one of the most well-known alpine cheeses from Europe. Raw cow’s milk wheels are washed daily while maturing into the ultimate creamy, complex, and pungent cheese. It’s perfect for the table as is, but I’ve got a serious soft spot for it melted. Get thee to thy nearest Caputo’s for raclette, artisan bread, cornichons, and more for your own traditional raclette meal. Don’t worry, I’ll have a full how-to for you in the coming weeks.

PANTRY: Olio Novello – Laudemio, Olio Verde, and Capezzana

Is it too early to call 2016 the year of the condiment oil? I proclaim it so, just you wait. There are certain foods in each type of cultural cuisines that are true stalwarts. Mustard in France, ketchup here in the states—you get the idea. Italy’s is, of course, my favorite. Condiment oil is placed on the table and hopefully never leaves. This is not the stuff for sautéing and cooking. It is reserved only for drizzling over already-cooked or prepared foods right before serving or while eating. Condiment oils can be peppery, grassy, or bright—or even all three. The feeling after your first drizzle is transcendent. It makes everything more complex and even more delicious.

Now is a great time to stock up on oils because we are currently receiving the newest releases from the oil harvest of October/November 2015. This is also the ideal time to use them. I try to finish all my condiment oils before the new harvest arrives in late winter, so I always have the very best oils at their peak of deliciousness. These are three of our very best. Start by tasting them at the store and take home your favorite. You’ll be amazed at how often you reach for it at dinner. Or breakfast. Or lunch.

CHOCOLATE: Domori Milk Chocolates

I know, I know. We love our dark chocolate here more than almost anything. But these, my friends, these are a game changer. Domori is my favorite boutique chocolatier from Italy. I love their chocolates for their untouchable texture, silkiness, and delicate attention to detail. It would only make sense that they would tackle milk chocolate with the same gusto for complexity and ingenuity. Choose from goat, sheep, donkey, or camel milk bars. They’re all unique and all incredibly complex. I have never sat and pondered milk chocolate while eating it like I have with these bars. The difference in taste, texture, and finish are exciting for me and hopefully for the world of fine chocolate.

Are you a cheese geek? Here’s Matt’s two cents, “Cheese geeks will certainly appreciate tasting through these incredible offerings of ruminant and non-ruminant milks.” It’s Adri again: I Googled ruminant for you. Your non-ruminant milk that Matt speaks of is in the donkey bar. I’m sure you’ve seen other “odd milk” bars on the market from other brands. Trust me, these are by far the best. Domori obviously uses the highest quality and freshest milk possible just based on taste.

ruminant [roo-muh-nuh nt] , noun
1. any even-toed, hoofed mammal of the suborder Ruminantia, being comprised of cloven-hoofed, cud-chewing quadrupeds.

Stay tuned for tasting notes, opinions, and more about these exciting new bars.

TREAT: Scaldaferro Torrone

It pains me to even post this. Not because of anything negative, but because it will be hard to let all you lovely people buy this and not hoard it all for myself. Matt calls this a “here today, gone tomorrow” kind of item that is only briefly on our shelves for the holidays and slightly thereafter. And I hate that. I wish I could eat this torrone everyday for the rest of eternity. It’s that good. Torrone is a traditional confection made from egg whites, honey, and nuts. So simple, but so divine. There is really nothing better than the Scaldaferro Torrone selections, and I hate to admit it, but I’ve grumpily typing this since the first mention of Scaldaferro. Seriously, get this before it’s gone. You’ll miss out on a tiny piece of cloudy, sweet perfection.