Snapshots from London: Raclette at Borough Market's Kappacasein
[Photos: Carey Jones]
A hungry Friday wanderer could concoct hundreds of possible lunches from the vendors at London's Borough Market. But it's hard to imagine any of them could compare with the raclette at the Kappacasein stall.
Kappacasein is run by Will Oglethorpe, a master affineur at nearby Neal's Yard Dairy, the acclaimed cheese store at the edge of Borough Market. There are only two things on the menu, and both make use of his signature cheese: the Ogleshield. Made from the milk of Jersey cows, in a partnership between Oglethorpe and the Montgomery producers (of Montgomery Cheddar fame), the Ogleshield is made in the style of Swiss raclette—salted, then massaged, then aged at Neal's Yard.
All this gives you a semisoft, pungently flavored cheese, perfect for melting—either in sandwich form, or, in a far more exciting move, roasting under flatirons and sliding onto grilled potatoes in an irresistible molten stream.
The cheese waterfall, after the jump.
Half-wheels of Ogleshield cheese are roasted beneath hot irons. (Swiss cow herders used to melt the cheese in front of an open fire. But they were a bit more patient... and without a twenty-deep queue.)
When the cheese starts to bubble and burn, it's scraped back down for a smooth, even melt.
Meanwhile, the yellow boiled Charlotte potatoes are tossed on the heat for a quick sear, and piled on a plate with gherkins and pickled onions. Plus a few good grinds of salt on top.
When the cheese has melted about a half-inch down, it's time for the scrape! Position the tool at the top...
loosen the melted layer of cheese...
... and slide onto the potatoes.
Oh, yes.
The crispy, steaming potatoes, the gooey, pungent cheese—if you're in need of a good, warming meal, there's nothing more satisfying. Especially on a cloudy, cool day. And let's face it; in London, the odds are pretty high.
Carey is over in London thanks to Visit London, the city's official tourist organization, in connection with Virgin Atlantic and the Intercontinental Park Lane.
Add a comment:
Previewing your comment:
HTML Hints
Some HTML is OK: <a href="URL">link</a>, <strong>strong</strong>, <em>em</em>
Comment Guidelines
Post whatever you want, just keep it seriously about eats, seriously. We reserve the right to delete off-topic or inflammatory comments. Learn more at our Comment Policy page.
If you see something not so nice, please, report an inappropriate comment.
9 Comments:
It's rainy here today and damn that looks sooooo good.
Burger365 at 7:19PM on 10/13/09
Was there last month, and could not possibly eat another bite...soooooo wish I had seen this and had some.
firni at 9:49PM on 10/13/09
Sweet pic by pic. I couldn't tell what that dish was until after.
chinolam at 11:51PM on 10/13/09
hooooo boy. that's pretty much my dream meal every day.
Allison Hemler at 1:10AM on 10/14/09
I love Borough. Was there last week, and had an amazing falafel on perfect flatbread with pickled beetroot, with some olives and feta on the side.
It's almost impossible to describe how wonderful it smells...one booth is grilling lamb kebabs, next to a booth grilling home-made sausages...it's foodie heaven, it really is. If you make it to London, you must go to Borough Market.
NotAmerican at 1:29AM on 10/14/09
My sister and cousin and I came here in August and it blew our minds. We tried the raclette along with 5 different sandwiches, Neal's Yard Dairy fresh yogurt, Monmouth coffee, baklava, banana cake, brownies, and my cousin went back the next day to try the Thai curry which she proclaimed to be among the best she has ever had. It really is food lover's paradise...
dimsumlikeithot at 1:53AM on 10/14/09
i was in Switzerland last summer and we stopped in Gruyere. It is like a cheese-filled Disneyland. A tiny Medieval town with castle and all. We had a fondue and raclette lunch. It was so good, but we all were in cheese comas afterwards.
travpard at 9:16AM on 10/14/09
wow. i lived in switzerland for a year more than twenty years ago, and haven't had raclette since. again, wow.
carriebwc at 9:49AM on 10/14/09
reading this makes me wish it were the holidays and I was at home... my family always has raclette around Christmas. but it's not really raclette unless it's topped with "rustica," a mysterious, ungoogleable blend of spices that can only be found in Switzerland.
now I am so hungry for this. agggh!
hoppzor at 1:10PM on 10/14/09