For many, mastering the cheese soufflé is mastering the art of cooking itself. So, isn’t it time you tried your hand at it? It may not be as difficult as you think, and with so many alpine cheeses to enjoy, we may have to attempt this right now…

They are actually quite easy. But they do require the best eggs and cheese (and I wouldn’t scoff at a truffle), and attention when you beat the egg whites, because if you overbeat them they’ll break apart when you fold them into the béchamel with the cheese. Instead of Gruyère alone you can also use a mix of nutty-tasting Gruyère style cheeses; for example, use a mix of Comté (French Gruyère), Beaufort or Fribourg and Gruyère, or substitute Comté for all of the Gruyère.

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Rebecca Haley-Park

Rebecca Haley-Park is culture's former editor and resident stinky cheese cheerleader. A native New Englander, she holds a BFA in creative writing from University of Maine at Farmington.