The raclette de Savoie is a tasty dish of melted cheese which is eaten with potatoes or bread. Centuries ago, the local shepherds melted a piece of cheese over a wood fire. When the cheese is melted it is scraped off with a knife. The name refers to the French word râcler, which means scraping.
Another local specialty is cheese fondue. According to the French, the fondue Savoyarde is the real deal, with Comté de Savoie, Beaufort and Tomme de Savoie. Cheese fondue is eaten from a Caquelon, a thick-walled pan, which is smeared with garlic and kept warm while eating so that the fondue does not solidify. The word fondue comes from the French word fondre (melting).
A good portion of Reblochon, potatoes, cream, onion and bacon and you will have yourself a tasty Tartiflette. The well-stocked casserole is not a light meal but tastes delicious. The dish was devised by the cheese farmers as a mean to sell their Reblochon cheese.