The little story of the tartiflette.
The little story of the tartiflette.
The Savoyard tartiflette is not the traditional and picturesque dish that we believe. Only a few decades old, the tartiflette went through several stages before becoming the famous Reblochon recipe that we know today.
Savoyard tartiflette is a Reblochon recipe that is firmly rooted in our regional cuisine. But did you know that the melted cheese dish was developed to sell off stocks of Reblochon?
The traditional tartiflette, or at least its predecessor, was developed in 1930. At that time, Savoyard affineurs found themselves with large quantities of Reblochon. This overproduction crisis pushed them to find solutions to dispose of their increasingly runny stock of cheese. They then had the idea of bringing up to date an old recipe called pêla, which came from the Aravis in Haute-Savoie. The recipe was simple, but consistent: a few potatoes, onions and cheese.
And it was a success! The dish was all the rage in winter sports resorts and was adopted in the region. It was only later that a restaurant owner from La Clusaz renamed it “tartiflette” to stand out. In order to accentuate its origins, the name was selected from the Savoyard patois, since "tartiflye" means potato.
Now, raclette, fondue and tartiflette are staples of winter meals in French families. Invigorating and family-friendly, melted cheese brings back good memories and comforts.
Even if it is not the ancestral recipe that we thought, the reblochon tartiflette has made a place in our hearts and bellies for many decades!
