Aligot of Cheesed Potatoes in the Style of the Dauphiné

The word aligot comes from the Provençal dialect word aliquot, meaning a ragout. In this particular version, a hot mash of potatoes is whipped up with butter, cream and slivered cheese, until the latter melts and, quite suddenly and almost magically, the whole thing becomes stringy, like strands or ribbons of nicely chewy spaghetti or noodles. To achieve the maximum effect, one must use a slightly rubbery medium-soft cheese, and the best, unquestionably, is either the Beaufort