Food!

As winter is coming upon us, some hearty meals to keep us warm after a long day on the slopes:

• Fondue Savoyarde: from Savoie as the name implies. Everyone dips small pieces of bread in a pot filled with a mix of melting cheeses

• Fondue Bourguignonne: this time, it's beef that's dipped in hot oil, with a wide range of sauces available for dipping

• Raclette: each guest melts his own piece of cheese. The traditional way to do this is to cut a big, round cheese in two and place it under a hot lamp. Every now and then, scrape (racler = to scrape) the melted cheese and serve it

• Pierrade: a heated stone is placed on the table, where everyone can cook his own thin slices of meat

• Tartiflette: layers of reblochon cheese, potatoes, cream, onions and bacon cooked in the oven

Add side dishes, a good bottle of white wine and a bunch of friends, you're ready to go.