The “Mite-y” Mimolette
/Hello fellow traveler!...I am sure that you have heard this one before…
The angry patron yells, “Waiter!...What is this fly doing in my soup??!!”…To which the waiter looks at the bowl and replies, “It looks like the backstroke, sir.”
Every restaurant, market or manufacturer does everything in its power to keep pests out of their facilities…That is, except for one…the producers of Mimolette. In the case of Mimolette, it is the power of the Cheese Mite that transforms these globes during the aging process….But I am getting ahead of myself…let’s turn back the hands of time and learn about the history of this cheese that became the favorite of Général de Brigade of the French Army(and future French President), Charles de Gaulle.
Mimolette got its name from the French word mi-mou, meaning "semi-soft". It can also be called Boule de Lille, named for the city of its origin. This town just happens to also be the birthplace of Charles de Gaulle.
Photo Courtesy of https://triedandsupplied.com/saucydressings/mimolette-cheese/
This cheese is said to have its creation at the request of King Louis XIV, as France was entangled with Holland in the Franco-Dutch War (1672-78). This new cheese would replace Dutch Edam during this period.
It may have the same size and weight as Edam, but the similarities end there. Mimolette would be given a beige, pitted rind (thanks to our friends, the Cheese Mites), as well as a bright orange interior. Both of these attributes would help better distinguish it from Edam cheese. It is roughly the same size and appearance as a Cantaloupe melon.
This pasteurized, cow’s milk cheese has been colored with Annatto, which is a tasteless coloring derived from the flower of the South American Achiote Tree and gives the cheese its deep orange color. Mimolette is then aged into one of four vintages: Jeune– Aged 6 weeks; Semi-Vieille– Aged 6 months; Vieille– Aged 12 months; and Extra Vieille– Aged 18 months.
As mentioned earlier, this cheese has a most unique aging process. Kept in a cool, humid environment, cheese mites thrive and start to eat away at the rind. These microscopic affineurs, not only change the appearance, but they add a subtle nuttiness to the flavor of the cheese (the rind is not eaten).
Lastly, yet still note-worthy, the French Minister of Agriculture has awarded the Vieille and Extra Vieille the “Label Rouge” and claims "The Label Rouge certifies that a product has a specific set of characteristics establishing a superior level to that of a similar current product". Did I mention the French are very proud of their cheeses?
Not to be out done, Germany is quite proud of its cheeses that are aged using Cheese Mites as well! In fact, they so proud that they have a Statue of a giant cheese mite in the center of town in Würchwitz, Germany, as well as a first class museum dedicated to the mighty Cheese Mite! Here you can sample and purchase the Milbenkase cheese that is produced there!
So, what pairs best with these cheeses? I find that ales or lagers seem to really complement them well.
“Waiter!....Check please!”
Until next week…
Trevor
