One of the things I love about my French school is that our teacher includes cultural experiences within the lesson.

We speak in French and then we learn various cultural and traditional aspects of the country. Today was our last lesson for the semester before a three week break and she put on a “raclette”.

Raclette is a device like a hot pan where you grill mainly potatoes or other vegetables on it (not bread as I thought) and you have little pans where you put the Raclette cheese (specific cheese for this purpose from the Savoie region in France near Switzerland) to melt then drizzle over your potatoes, ham, mini cucumbers and mini onions. It’s considered winter food as après-ski fare and convivial as you set it on the table.

Today we learned all about the specific cheese, the region, how we use the raclette and also how the cheese is made. Apparently here in Tasmania, there is a cheese producer who makes raclette but I wonder if they’re not allowed to use the name. To the French, the best – and only raclette cheese – comes from the Savoie region and best enjoyed with a glass of white wine from the same region.

One of my classmates also made these delicious madeleines which was the first time I had tasted them. Deliciously sweet and buttery.

Another classmate brought in her favourite mum’s recipe for Banana Cake (which was light, moist and utterly delicious – unlike the heavy cakes I make). She translated the recipe into French.

So all up a great (but filling) lesson. I have three weeks off French now and go back on the 18 July. Guess that’s more time to play golf now.