Cheese

Couple of reasonably nice places would be any whole food or binny's.

Bon appetit!

 

Resturant depot in Lombard, lots a cheese good prices!

 

Treasure Island or Trader Joe's

Trader Joes offers even an authentic Swiss Cheese Fondue mix which I recently tried and gave the stamp of my Swiss approval.

 

Isn't Wisconsin a suburb?

 

Also the Int'l House of Wine & Cheese on Rt.12 just a hairs width this side of the Ill./ Wi. border in Richmond.

Andreas, any suggestions for raclette?

 

Raclette is mostly about having the right "oven" for the table. With that, you're halfway there. Then it doesn't matter too much what sliced cheese you get from Jewel/Osco. I'd pick Emmentaler or Appenzeller. Of course you need some decent potatoes and some cornichons and silver onions.

Cheese fondue can be very tricky without the right mix because you alter between a concrete block of cheese and cheese soup. Also the mix determines the taste. So it is important to get the right mix. With raclette OTOH there isn't much that can go wrong given the right oven.

PS: And please none of that melted chocolate fondue and/or dunking apples and strawberries into the pot. That's utterly American and Verboten in my house.

 

We're using a Swissmar and have been calling it a "grill", thanks for the correction, oven from now on.
Emmentaler is already a favorite. Appenzeller is on my shopping list. Trader Joe sells a "raclette" cheese we didn't much care for, have you had it?
We like to use butterkase as well, hope this isn't a faux pas.
Cornichons, check
Boiled baby potatoes, check
Silver onions, I don't know what these are. EDIT; the pickled ones, right?

 

Yup, the Swiss call it an oven, not a grill.
Haven't tried Trader Joe's raclette cheese.
Dunno what butterkase is but it doesn't sound bad. Butter is ok and so is cheese, so why not?
Silver onions, yes, the pickled ones.

BTW: Have you ever seen a "real raclette"? They have half a round of a cheese sitting on a super hot oven and when you want your serving, they tilt the cheese body around and scrape a full length of it onto your plate. Obviously the table sized oven is for home use.

 

No, but it sounds great. I would become Marlon Brando size if this were available here. IS IT!

 

For those who stray north into cheese territory try Brennan's in Brookfield. HUGE selection and free samples of them all.
http://www.brennansmarket.com/locations.lasso

For Edam & Gouda lovers;http://www.henriwillig.com/ProductOverview.htm?Category=Cheese

 

It is a highly guarded secret of the Swiss how they stay slim despite a cheese and chocolate diet.

 

Reasonable portions and a bottle of grape?

 

Bicycles instead of cars and stairs instead of elevators. Amongst other things.

 

Yikes!

I hate that place. Everything about it. Went there once and never again. One of the most ridiculous places I've ever been to. Talk about overpriced hype with no substance.

Sorry, didn't mean to rain on your parade but I totally hate that place. Really. Seriously.

 

On Friday March 4 the Alliance Francaise de Chicago will have an evening of French cuisine. The Swiss will participate with a Raclette stand.

Please let me know if interested and I'll provide you with the details for how and where to sign up etc. Dizzyclaimer: I have nothing to do with organizing this or benefitting from this, I was simply given the information.

 

Yes this one [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3KBuQHHKx0[/ame]