FROM SWITZERLAND:  Swiss Gruyere

FROM GERMANY:  Kuemmelkaese

FROM NORWAY:  Gjetost, Bondost

FROM HOLLAND:  Edam, Gouda

FROM ENGLAND:  Stilton

FROM POLAND:  Warshawski Syr

[Illustration]

Chapter Nine

Au Gratin, Soups, Salads and Sauces

He who says au gratin says Parmesan.  Thomas Gray, the English poet, saluted it two centuries ago with: 

    Parma, the happy country where huge cheeses grow.

On September 4, 1666, Pepys recorded the burying of his pet Parmesan, “as well as my wine and some other things,” in a pit in Sir W. Batten’s garden.  And on the selfsame fourth of September, more than a century later, in 1784, Woodforde in his Diary of a Country Parson wrote: 

     I sent Mr. Custance about 3 doz. more of apricots, and he sent me
     back another large piece of fine Parmesan cheese.  It was very
     kind of him.

The second most popular cheese for au gratin is Italian Romano, and, for an entirely different flavor, Swiss Sapsago.  The French, who gave us this cookery term, use it in its original meaning for any dish with a browned topping, usually of bread crumbs, or crumbs and cheese.  In America we think of au gratin as grated cheese only, although Webster says, “with a browned covering, often mixed with butter or cheese; as, potatoes au gratin.”  So let us begin with that.

 Potatoes au Gratin

2 cups diced cooked potatoes 2 tablespoons grated onion 1/2 cup grated American Cheddar cheese 2 tablespoons butter 1/2 cup milk 1 egg Salt Pepper More grated cheese for covering

In a buttered baking dish put a layer of diced potatoes, sprinkle with onion and bits of butter.  Next, scatter on a thin layer of cheese and alternate with potatoes, onions and butter.  Stir milk, egg, salt and pepper together and pour it on the mixture.  Top everything with plenty of grated cheese to make it authentically American au gratin.  Bake until firm in moderate oven, about 1/2 hour.

 Eggs au Gratin

Make a white sauce flavored with minced onion to pour over any desired number of eggs broken into a buttered baking dish.  Begin by using half of the sauce and sprinkling on a lot of grated cheese.  After the eggs are in, pour on the rest of the sauce, cover it with grated cheese and bread crumbs, drop in bits of butter, and cook until brown in oven (or about 12 minutes).

 Tomatoes au Gratin

Cover bottom of shallow baking pan with slices of tomato and sprinkle liberally with bread crumbs and grated cheese, season with salt, pepper and dots of butter, add another layer of tomato slices, season as before and continue this, alternating with cheese, until pan is full.  Add a generous topping of crumbs, cheese and butter.  Bake 50 minutes in moderate oven.

 Onion Soup au Gratin