The appellation on its label, Raclette au lait cru du haut-Livradois, indicates that this semi-hard cow's milk cheese hails from the mountainous region of France known as Livradois.  Raclette shares its name with a traditional Alpine French / Swiss dish which is made with this cheese as an ingredient.  The name Raclette comes from the French infinitive racler which means to scrape; this reflects the traditional recipe for making this dish.  Age-old custom specifies that a sizeable wedge of Raclette cheese be warmed gently over an open fire; and when warm, that it be shaved or scraped over a special preparation of boiled potatoes, thick pieces of ham, select vegetables, and cornichon pickles.

The dish sounds fabulous.  But Raclette cheese is quite marvelous on its own.  One may find Raclette cheese which has been produced on either the Swiss or the French side of the border; the type I have before me is of the French variety, made in Auvergne by the Société Fromagèrie du LIVRADOIS, or SFR.  It is certified to have been carefully aged over 60 days before being packaged and shipped to eager cheese-lovers in the New World such as myself.

My sample is a 1.13 pound, 30º wedge, cut from an approximately 12" diameter by 2.5" thick wheel.  This massive block of cheese set me back $9.33 at Bello Vino Market in Ann Arbor, Michigan; I'm sure that, if consumed slowly and in small quantities over time, it will provide us with many weeks of occasional enjoyment.  Raclette cheese typically features a natural (read: edible) brushed rind; this example's rind appears to be delicate, parchment-colored and quite non-threatening.  The flesh appears to be slightly soft, is medium-yellow in color, and is punctuated with a small number of tiny holes.  As with all fine cheeses, one must never attempt to consume Raclette straight from the refrigerator; care has been taken to ensure that this cheese has reached the ambient temperature in an undisturbed manner.

Upon unwrapping the wedge, a distinct and unmistakable aroma fills the room.  And I mean, fills the room.  To the uninitiated this aroma this might be described as "stinky," but to the cheese aficionado it is heaven itself: indicative of that well-nuanced complexity which comes from proper preparation and aging.  The wedge slices smoothly but offers a surprising resistance, betraying the fact that it is firmer than its appearance suggests.

Texture is slightly grainy, but not overly so.  The graininess does tend to distract, but does not quite reach the objectionable stage.  It is unclear whether the origin of the graininess is the rind or the flesh.

But oh, the flavor -- this is a generous and complex cheese.  This Raclette has a very full flavor, dominated by notes of cream, butter and melon.  Flavor literally bursts onto the soft palate.  The finish is long and delightfully milky.

To test its warm qualities I gently melted a bit onto some aged ham (I wish I had some proscuitto around!).  The Raclette melts smoothly and assumes a viscous, creamy texture.  The flavor does not appear to be harmed by the heat; indeed, a nuttiness becomes evident, although the finish is somewhat subdued.

This Raclette is an attractive, aromatic, somewhat grainy but delightfully complex, semi-hard French Alpine cheese which would go equally well with fruit or preserved meats such as proscuitto, calabrese or sopressada.  All in all I would declare this delightful cheese to be recommended.