There are number of cheeses that can be used in a raclette meal, including of course the cheese that gave the meal it's name.

The list below includes the most commonly used cheeses, all of which are now more or less available in every local supermarket. I've also some additional information on each composition:

• Camembert
  Soft cheese from raw cow's milk; minimum 45% fat content; creamy yellow; softens with age; rind formed by mold; typical aroma of fresh mushrooms, becomes very tangy with aging.

• Cheddar
  Firm cheese from cow's milk; 45–50% fat content; white, yellow, or orange; creamy consistency with few holes; ranging from firm and elastic to slightly crumbly; acidic, nutty flavor.

• Emmenthaler
  Firm cheese from raw cow's milk; 45% fat content; ivory-colored with cherry- to plum-sized aroma and nutty flavor.

• Feta
  Soft or fresh cheese originally made from sheep's milk; 40–55% fat content; white and crumbly consistency; aromatic to sharp flavor depending on sheep's milk.

• Fontina
  Semi-firm cheese from raw cow's milk produced in the valley of Aosta in Italy; minimum 45% fat content; white to straw-colored with small holes; flavor ranging from fine and delicate to aromatic and tangy.

• Gorgonzola
  Soft cheese from cow's milk; minimum 48% fat content; cream-colored with blue-green veins and reddish rind; crumbly consistency; flavor ranging from aromatic to sharp and rich.
      
• Gouda
  Traditionally made from cow's milk but also available made from goat's milk; produced with various fat contents; flavor ranging from mild to very tangy depending on age and type of milk, but always melts well.

• Gruyère
  Firm cheese from raw cow's milk; minimum 49% fat content; ivory to yellow color with scattered holes; rind coated with a red bacteria; distinctively tangy and hearty flavor.

• Mozzarella
  Fresh cheese from cow's milk; 40–45% fat content; available in balls, cylinders, or bars; white, elastic, and sliceable; with neutral and mild flavor, it goes with everything.

• Parmesan/Pecorino
  Hard cheese from raw cow's milk; minimum 32% fat content; hard and fine-grained even after broiling; tastes aromatic and tangy; with raclette, used for grating and seasoning.

• Raclette
  Firm cheese from cow's milk; 50% fat content; ivory to golden color with a soft and creamy consistency, with few holes; depending on degree of ripeness, flavor can range from mildly fruity to aromatic.

• Monterey Jack
  Soft and buttery chees made form cow's milk, Monterey Jack has a mild taste and melts easily. Fat content is 25%.

The type of cheese you will use will not only vary with your personal taste, but also (and mainly) vary with the raclette recipes you are following. And there are a lot of them... From seafood to fruits, from vegetarian to meat, etc... there will always be a recipe available for you to try new combinations of ingredients and cheeses.

For more information on raclettes and FREE recipes try visiting RacletteRecipes.net at http://www.racletterecipes.net.