Legend has it that Léon, a valaisan vintner, is the creator of raclette: On a cold day he melted a piece of cheese over a wood fire - and thoroughly enjoyed it. Nowadays raclette is well known all over the world and a typical dish in Switzerland and (eastern) France.

In the valley of Valais running east to west in between the two Swiss Alp ranges the procedure of melting cheese is known since the year 1574. The official name of raclette (racler means shaving in French) wasn’t introduced until exactly 300 years later, in 1874. Cheese of the Valais however can be traced back to the 4th century. During the Roman empire it was especially the Alpage (made during transhumance in the summer) that made a name for itself. Between the 14th and 19th century the cheese was also used as a payment method.

The production of Raclette du Valais AOP strictly follows a centuries old recipe. The AOP was created only recently, in the fall of 2009. Raclette is served with boiled potatoes, little gurkens (cornichons) and pearl onions. Per person you measure 300 g cheese, 200 g potatoes, 100 g each cornichons and pearl onions.