Mimolette Cheese: A Unique, Edible, Bright-Orange Delicacy

Mimolette is a hard French cheese with a distinctive orange hue, created in the 17th century as a substitute for Dutch Edam. It is traditionally produced around the city of Lille, France, and is also known as Boule de Lille, or Vieux Hollande. The name Mimolette comes from the French 'mi-mou', meaning semi-soft, which refers to the oily texture of the otherwise firm cheese. The orange colour comes from the addition of annatto, a natural dye or seasoning. The grey-coloured rind of aged Mimolette is caused by cheese mites, which are added to the surface of the cheese to enhance its flavour.

Mimolette is a hard French cheese

The bright orange colour of Mimolette comes from the natural seasoning annatto. The grey-coloured rind of aged Mimolette is caused by cheese mites, which are added to the surface of the cheese to enhance its flavour. Mimolette can be consumed at different stages of ageing. Its taste when young resembles that of Parmesan, and it becomes harder to chew as it ages, developing a hazelnut-like flavour.

The cheese was allegedly created in 1675 by cheesemakers in Lille as a substitute for Dutch Edam cheese. During the 17th-century Franco-Dutch war, trade between the countries was halted, and the French finance minister at the time, Jean-Baptiste Colbert, prohibited the import of certain Dutch goods, including the popular Edam cheese. Flemish cheesemakers developed the Edam taste-alike but added annatto to the cheese paste to dye it into a dark orange, creating a distinctively French product.

Mimolette is a hard cheese with a smooth, buttery, dense, and chewy texture. It hardens quickly, and even young Mimolette is solid to the touch. As it ages, it loses its signature butteriness and becomes more crumbly and grainy, resembling Parmesan in texture and flavour. The rind is irregular and rough, dotted with small holes created by the cheese mites. The rind is notoriously thick and hard to crack.

It is made from pasteurised cow's milk

Mimolette is a hard French cheese made from pasteurised cow's milk. It is produced in Normandy, Brittany, Nord-Pas de Calais, and other parts of France, and is often referred to as 'Boule de Lille' as it is traditionally produced around the city of Lille. It is also sometimes called 'Vieux Hollande' because it was inspired by Dutch Edam cheese.

The name 'Mimolette' comes from the French 'mi-mou', meaning 'semi-soft', which refers to the oily texture of this otherwise firm cheese. It is made with full-fat milk, although there are no strict guidelines for its production, so the quality of the milk is left to the cheesemakers' discretion.

The process of making Mimolette starts like most other cheeses: the milk is mixed with lactic bacteria and rennet, as well as annatto to give it its bright orange hue, and left until the milk curdles. The curds are then cut into tiny pieces and rested in warm water, which classifies Mimolette as a washed-curd cheese. Curd washing helps to create a sweeter taste and more buttery texture. The curds are then placed into moulds and brined in a salt bath for about three days, before being put on racks and wheeled into a ripening cave.

Mimolette can be consumed at different stages of ageing. When young, its taste resembles Parmesan, although many appreciate it most when it is 'extra-old' (extra-vieille). At this point, it can be hard to chew, and the flesh takes on a hazelnut-like flavour. The more Mimolette ages, the more it tends to lose its signature butteriness, becoming more crumbly and grainy.

It was inspired by Dutch Edam cheese

Mimolette is a hard French cheese, inspired by Dutch Edam cheese. It is said to have originated in the 17th century during the reign of King Louis XIV. Colbert, his chief minister, had banned the import of many foreign goods, including Dutch Edam cheese, which was particularly popular in Flanders, the northernmost region of France. In defiance of the King's decree, Edam was smuggled into France. Eventually, French cheesemakers began to make their own version of the cheese, adding their own touches to the recipe.

The French artisans changed the shape of the cheese, flattening the top and bottom. They also added Roucou, a natural dye also known as annatto, which gave the cheese a distinct orange colour ranging from cantaloupe or carrot to a bright deep tangerine. This dye was added not only for colour but also to distinguish it from Edam. Mimolette has thus been called a French Edam, although there are clear differences between the two cheeses. One of the most important differences is the source of the milk used: Edam is made from Dutch cow's milk, while Mimolette uses French cow's milk. The different breeds of cows, as well as the grasses and herbs they feed on, alter the flavour of the cheese.

In terms of taste, Mimolette is intensely fruity and nutty, making it a popular snack with a glass of beer. It can be consumed at different stages of ageing, with its flavour profile changing as it matures. When young, Mimolette has a mild taste similar to Parmesan. As it ages, it becomes harder to chew and develops a hazelnut-like flavour. When it reaches the "extra-old" stage, it takes on a complex and piquant flavour profile.

Mimolette is traditionally produced around the city of Lille, France, and is also known as Boule de Lille, which means "Lille ball". It is spherical in shape and weighs about 2 kilograms. The name Mimolette comes from the French word "mi-mou", meaning "semi-soft", referring to the oily texture of this otherwise firm cheese.

It has a spherical shape and an orange colour

Mimolette is a spherical French cheese, traditionally produced around the city of Lille, France. It is also known as Boule de Lille, which translates to 'Lille ball' in reference to its shape and place of origin. It is similar in appearance to a cantaloupe melon, and normally weighs about 2 kg (approximately 4.5 pounds).

The orange colour of Mimolette comes from the addition of annatto, a natural dye or seasoning. When used in small amounts, annatto adds no discernible flavour or aroma to the cheese. The colour can range from cantaloupe or carrot to a bright deep tangerine.

The spherical, orange cheese was first created in the 17th century, during the reign of King Louis XIV. Colbert, the chief minister, had banned the import of many foreign goods, including the popular Dutch Edam cheese. In response, French cheesemakers in Flanders, the northernmost region of France, developed Mimolette as a substitute. They changed the shape and colour of the cheese to distinguish it from Edam, and to ensure it was clearly a French product.

It is covered in cheese mites

Mimolette is a hard French cheese with a grey-coloured rind that is formed by cheese mites. The mites are added to the surface of the cheese to enhance its flavour. They burrow into the surface of the cheese, creating a lunar-like texture, and leaving behind a dust that gives Mimolette its distinctive taste. The mites are added during the maturation process, when the cheese is placed in a ripening cave. The mites are placed on the surface of the cheese and attack the outer layer, leaving behind flavour-enhancing dust.

The French have used cheese mites in cheesemaking since the Middle Ages. The mites are usually found in the soil and feed on fungi. The need for a specific amount of mites caused Mimolette to be banned in the USA for a short period. In 2013, the Food and Drug Administration detained about a ton of the cheese, halting imports to the country. The FDA stated that the cheese was above the standard of six mites per cubic inch. The restriction was lifted in 2014.

The mites are brushed off by hand or with compressed air before the cheese is sold, so they are not consumed. They are also added to the surface of the cheese, so they do not penetrate the edible portion. The mites are added to the rind, which is not usually eaten as it is rock hard.

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