Food & Hosting | A Raclette meets Fondue meets Wine Tasting Party to Remember

While our usual escapades involve exploring far-off destinations such as Cape Town or Scotland, sometimes the best adventures happen right at home.

We bought our Raclette Grill on Black Friday last year, as we were setting up to spending winter in Portugal and prepare for toasty nights in. And this was not just any Raclette Grill, it was also a Fondue device. My two favourite cold-weather-food traditions combined! I lived in France for most of my teenager and young adult years and got acquainted with Raclette with my french friends.

It was also a very affordable meal party: one should bring the potatoes, someone else was in charge of charcuterie, the other of the cheese (which is unexpensive in France!) and there we got a earthy fulfilling meal. It is also a convivial one where everybody is put to work to melt their cheese and toast their charcuterie over boiling hot potatoes.

Onto our party!

Ambiance is everything, especially for a night like this. We wanted our home to feel like a chic snug chalet nestled in the French Alps. The Christmas decor was up which already set the whole vibe and we had lit unscented candles everywhere. We chose warm-toned pillar candles and scattered fairy lights to create a soft, flickering glow.

We were four but it makes for a great dinner date setting. As for the music, we put on those cheesy festive jazz videos mimicking a lit fire on the background and the house became instantly toastier. As for the table, we decorated it to accommodate the less than chic Raclette & Fondue device but we had to make due with it tastefully centered.

As the menu wasn't indulgent enough, we started with a charcuterie board with olives, tapenade and fruit. Bruno invested himself into creating the most stunning smoked meats roses and they were just stunning.

Raclette isn’t just a meal—it’s an experience. This Swiss-French tradition revolves around melting cheese and sharing small plates or sides, making it perfect for a slow, intimate dinner.

As we were doing the raclette (with cheese), we opted for a meat fondue that could join in in the playfulness for the evening. We opted for the raclette cheese (in Portugal, it's easy to find at Auchan or Aldi and if you are in Algarve, head to Apolonia!). The charcuterie was all french-inspired cured meats and saucisson. For the earthiness, we boiled baby potatoes for the table.

The perfect setting for all that upcoming cheese. As for the veggies, we love the fresh mushrooms and asparagus combo, that is perfect for the char. And as added toppings, we had the pearl onion preserves, the unmissable cornichons and some sweet corn because... have you tried corn with melted cheese? For the fondue we chose a beautiful bourguignon meat.

Last but not least: we had some fresh baguette from Apolonia sliced to the enjoyment of the table. Need we say more?

No French-inspired evening is complete without wine. So we took the opportunity to also do some kind of international wine tasting with our fellow couple.

We started with the Casa de Santar Vinha dos Amores Blanc de Noirs sparkling wine (Portugal), then ventured into a crisp Chardonnay with Erraruriz Aconcagua Costa's (Chile). As for the red, we opened a Groot Constantia Gouverneurs Reserve (South Africa) we bought when we were last in Cape Town and a Syrah also by Erraruriz. As for the dessert wines, we honoured France with a Sauternes by Châteay Les Justices and topped it all with a Grand Constantia, Napoleon's exile nectar, also from Groot Constantia. We have to write about Groot Constantia, don't we?!

And because we are savages - don't do this at home kids! - and it was January 6, we indulged into a freshly baked king's day Galette des Rois, also from Apolonia. I mean, what does Apolonia not carry?

And this is why we love Raclette nights. It will not provide us with a longer healthier life but there’s something magical about slowing down and cooking together at the table. Whether it’s just the two of us or a cosy gathering of friends, a raclette night is the ultimate way to create warmth, connection, and a touch of adventure—no plane tickets required.

If you want to replicate and do something similar at home, go on! Set the scene, pour the wine, and melt some cheese. From our table to yours, bon appétit!

If you make a raclette or a fondue (or both) at home, let us know!

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