Petit Suisse

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

1- 8 1L followed by partner casts and chase round to original positions (2s+3s+4s step up and down)
9-16 All ½ turn RH and 1s+2s also 3s+4s dance ½ RH across, 1s+4s ½ turn RH and dance ½ RH across. 2413
17-24 All ½ turn RH and 2s+4s also 1s+3s dance ½ RH across, 2s+3s ½ turn RH and dance ½ RH across. 4231
25-32 4s+3s+2s dance Allemande. 2341

(MINICRIB. Dance crib compiled by Charles Upton, Deeside Caledonian Society, and his successors)

Dance Information

Petit-suisse belongs to the category of fromage frais, characterized by its unripened, unsalted, and smooth texture, closely resembling a very thick yogurt rather than a conventional cheese. Crafted from cow's milk, the addition of cream enhances its richness, resulting in a product with approximately 40% fat content in its dry solids (about 10% in the consumed portion).

To achieve its distinctive texture, the cheese undergoes a process of smoothing and draining through a centrifuge. Typically, Petit-suisse is presented in individual portions weighing 30 or 60 grams. Its packaging takes the form of a cylindrical container, measuring approximately 4 cm in height and 3 cm in diameter for the standard size or 5 cm by 4 cm for the larger variant.

Petit-suisse offers versatility in consumption, making it suitable for various culinary applications. It can be enjoyed as a dessert, either in its pure form or accompanied by jam, honey, or sugar. Additionally, it serves as a savoury option when seasoned with salt, pepper, or herbs. The cheese finds its way into meat stuffings, contributing to flavour and texture in culinary preparations.

In some culinary practices, a combination of petit-suisse and mustard is applied to rabbit meat before cooking. This mixture serves the dual purpose of enhancing the flavour of the dish and preventing the rabbit meat from drying out during the cooking process.

Despite its name implying a Swiss origin, petit-suisse did not originate in Switzerland but rather in Normandy. The cheese's inception traces back to the 1850s when a Swiss employee working at a dairy in Auvilliers (Normandy) proposed the idea of incorporating cream into the curd used for cheese production.

Petit Suisse

Back to the top of this Scottish Country Dancing Instructions 'Petit Suisse' page