Tartiflette...Soul Food of the Alps

Approximately 1.5lbs potatoes At least 6oz diced smoked bacon/poitrine fumé/ streaky bacon 1 onion Whole Reblochon cheese Crème fraiche 1 glass dry white wine (optional, preferably Savoyarde or Alsacien)

Peel and boil the potatoes in water until cooked. Drain and allow to cool. Preheat oven to 220 degrees C or 425 F

Dice bacon into small pieces (thick, rectangular pieces) and dice onions. Start cooking the bacon first then after it cooks for a few minutes on medium throw in the onions. Cook until browned.

Thinly slice the cold potatoes. Rub garlic on a gratin dish then butter. Make up the Tartiflette in layers: First potatoes, then the lardon/onion mixture. Then spread a layer of crème fraiche.

Next, cut half of the Reblochon, rind removed, into thin slices and layer. Then add another layer of potatoes, and finish with the other half of Reblochon thinly sliced, this time with the rind left on.

I have not tried adding the dry white wine as some recipes have recommended, but I'm sure it would add to the flavor quite nicely.

Bake in the oven for about 20-30 minutes, until the cheese has melted and browned. The last time I made this, I forgot to butter the dish and rub with garlic and I did not notice the difference...do not skimp on the quality of the bacon as the smokier the better!

Jordan's Tartiflette sounded so good I had to make it while we were in the Alps even though we were experiencing a heat wave. I also didn't use white wine. The only thing I did differently was just lay the bacon on the top. I must say the bacon I got from the butcher in Thones was fantastic. I had to cook it longer so that the bacon was crisp. The bacon flavor penetrated the entire tartiflette. My tartiflette is the round one. If you have a chance to eat tartiflette, go for it. Yum! Joan

We wanted to have tartiflette for our sheltered in place 2020 Christmas dinner and unfortunately it is impossible to find Reblochon cheese in Santa Cruz. I asked my French friend who works in the cheese department of Whole Foods in Capitola what cheese I could substitute. She recommended Rush Creek Reserve a soft-ripened cheese wrapped in spruce made by Uplands Cheese of Dodgeville, Wisconsin. It was definitely a good replacement. If you can find it and not find Reblochon, use it.