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Mimolette
French hard cheese From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Mimolette (French pronunciation: [mimɔlɛt] ⓘ) is a cheese traditionally produced around the city of Lille, France. In France it is also known as Boule de Lille after its city of origin,[1] or vieux Hollande because it was originally inspired by the Dutch Edam cheese.[2]
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Description
Mimolette has a spherical shape and is similar in appearance to a cantaloupe melon.[3] It normally weighs about 2 kg (approximately 4.5 pounds) and is made from pasteurized cow's milk. Its name comes from the French word mi-mou (feminine mi-molle), meaning "semi-soft", which refers to the oily texture of this otherwise hard cheese.[4] The bright orange color of the cheese comes from the natural seasoning annatto.[5] When used in small amounts, primarily as a food colorant, annatto adds no discernible flavor[6] or aroma. The grey-colored rind of aged Mimolette occurs from cheese mites that are added to the surface of the cheese, which serve to enhance its flavor.[3]
Mimolette can be consumed at different stages of aging. When younger, its taste resembles that of Parmesan.[4] Many appreciate it most when it is "extra-old" (extra-vieille).[7] At that point, it can become rather hard to chew, and the flesh takes on a hazelnut-like flavor.
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History
It was originally made by the request of Louis XIV, who – in the context of Jean-Baptiste Colbert's mercantilistic policies – was looking for a native French product to replace the then very popular Edam.[2] To make it distinct from Edam, it was first colored using carrot juice and later seasoned with annatto to give it a distinct orange color.[2] It was then known as vieux Hollande or boule de Lille. The modern name only appeared in the 20th century, referring to the cheese's semi-soft, semi-hard texture when young.[8]
Farmers from the original region gradually abandoned the production of this cheese, until it was revived elsewhere in France by three industrial cheesemakers: Lactalis in Bouvron, the Isigny-Sainte-Mère cooperative in Manche, and Savencia in Somme. The cheese is now pasteurized. In the 2010s, some artisanal farm production re-emerged.[9]
The cheese was known to be a favorite of French President Charles de Gaulle.[10]
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Health concerns in the U.S.
In 2013, the Food and Drug Administration detained about a ton of the cheese, putting further imports to the United States on hold. This was because the cheese mites could cause an allergic reaction[3] if consumed in large quantities. The FDA stated that the cheese was above the standard of six mites per cubic inch.[11] The restriction was lifted in 2014.[12]
In popular culture
Mimolette is the name of the mouse in the animated children's television series Gideon (by Michel Ocelot), broadcast in France in the mid-1970s.
See also
References
External links
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