Ordering Cheese/Gifts for Christmas

Every year we get a number of orders for cheese to be sent or collected. Each year we try and prepare as early as possible so we ask again this year that you get your 'Christmas Cheese Orders' to us as soon as possible.

Due to high demand we have had to put a minimum order value (before delivery charge) of £25 (delivery orders only).

Please read the attached document which gives some simple steps to ensuring you receive the cheese you require at the time you wish it to arrive.

CHRISTMAS DETAILS

LAST ORDERING DATES:

For International Orders:
13th December

For Bespoke Hampers/Cheeseboards:
13th December

For Cheeses delivered:
15th December

For Predefined Hampers/Cheeseboards:
15th December

For Cheese Collected: 17th December

Please remember that some cheeses (especially goats cheese, wigmore, waterloo and some small individual cheeses) are in short supply at Christmas. The early you place the order the greater the chance of receiving what you require.

NOVEMBER PRIZE DRAW

A competition for all our customers (new and existing). Please search the website to tell us
via e-mail:

'Can raclette cheese be frozen?'

Winner will be drawn from all correct entries on 15th December a 1/4 Raclette Machine (price £125) to be delivered anywhere in the UK.

Welcome to the Christmas issue of the Teddington Cheese Wire. Preparations are well under way for Christmas and the superb publicity we have received from reviews in the Independent, BBC Good Food and Daily Telegraph has meant that inquiries and orders are coming in all the time. To try and meet demand we have hired an extra cold room to keep the extra cheese we need for the shop, Internet orders and also the BBC Festive Food Show.

Christmas will soon be here and we have now produced our Christmas Brochure - if you would like a copy then please e-mail us or give us a call 020 8977 6868.

Also as an incentive for getting those orders in early to us:

All orders received on November 20th or 21st will receive a 10% discount (excluding delivery).

September Free Prize Draw

Many thanks to all the entries we received (25 in total). The winner was: Claire Barling and received a Balfour Hamper

- Cheese focus -
RACLETTE
France

The origins of raclette

Raclette originates from Wallis, Switzerland, and is traditionally thought to be more than 400 years old.

In 1812, in his description of the Simplon district Dr. H. Schiner mentions a tradition in the Val d‘Anniviers, in which sumptuous feasts begin and close with roasted cheese (“fromage rôti”). Other authors talk of evenings in the Val d’Anniviers before the animals are brought down from the Alps: “some shepherds sit ... around a fire and keep watch over a quarter cheese round which they have placed over the heat. As soon as the cheese begins to melt, one of them takes... a knife, scrapes a slice of molten cheese from the round and spreads it onto a piece of bread.” (V. Tissot, 1888). Not until the beginning of the 20th century was ‘roasted cheese’ given a wider audience. As a part of a county exhibition in 1909, the best regional wines were offered around, accompanied by ‘roasted cheese’. For this purpose, it was christened with the name ‘raclette’. This was a play on the French word ‘racler’, meaning ‘to scrape’.

Up until around 1955 halves of cheese rounds were laid flat on wooden or stone boards, the cutting edge directed towards the open fire or a coal pot. No particular technical equipment. Today the equipment has changed and one can get 1/4, 1/2's and double machines.

Raclette cheese costs: £1.55 per 100g
Order here

Preparing the cheese

Raclette cheese can be bought cut to the required size (half or quarter cheese) or your requirements and with cleaned rind.Pre-heat the raclette appliance for about 5 minutes and then lay the prepared cheese into the holder.

Preparing the raclette

Allow the cheese to sizzle under the heat until the surface of the cheese has attained the desired state: slightly melted for smaller and more delicate raclettes, or grilled more strongly for larger raclettes with roast aroma. Turn the cheese round away from the heat source, tip the cheese holder using your left hand, and scrape the raclette onto the plate. Use the smooth side of the Raclette knife for this purpose, and take care not to exert too much pressure when scraping. After every third or fourth raclette, a crisp rind forms around the edges of the cheese's cutting side. Cut this off using the jagged side of the raclette knife and serve together with the raclette. This type of raclette is known as 'religieuse' and it tastes absolutely heavenly. Raclette tastes best hot. The classic ritual allows the person being served to begin immediately rather than waiting until everyone has their share.

Traditionally, raclette is served with boiled potatoes, gherkins and pickled onions. The cheese itself is seasoned with freshly ground black pepper. However, there are no limits to culinary fancies: pickled mushrooms or vegetables and a number of mixed herbs are just as suitable. Wherever a large party meets together to partake of a raclette, it will be impossible to avoid waits at the beginning and between turns. Thus it is a good idea to serve cold meats, sausage or ham with rye bread. Drink with dry and tangy white wine.

How to store raclette cheese

A party of less than 6 persons will probably not manage to finish off a whole half cheese. Leftovers, well wrapped up, can be kept refrigerated for 2 - 3 weeks. Larger wedges weighing more than 1kg can be stored for up to 4 weeks. Hence it is often worth splashing out on a half cheese and then consuming this during the course of several meals. Raclette cheese can, of course, also be frozen. The frozen cheese can be placed without thawing into the cheese holder for the next raclette session. The uppermost layer melts just as well as when the cheese is thawed out entirely. Less experienced 'racleurs' actually prefer using this method, since the cheese remains more compact throughout the whole meal.

CHEESE DOS and DONT'S

• ensure the cheese is ripe for the day you require it;
• keep them at room temperature before serving;
• wrap cheese in wax paper. Clingfilm makes them sweat;
• use several quality cheeses rather than many;
• smaller portions dry out quicker so use larger cuts;
• ask us at Teddington Cheese for advise if not sure.

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