Mimolette - French Cheese

Mimolette is a cheese traditionally produced around the city of Lille, France (where it is also known as Boule de Lille), and also in some areas of Belgium and the Netherlands.

It was originally made by the request of Louis XIV, who wanted a French cheese to resemble Edam. In order to differentiate it from Edam, however, he had it colored orange.

A cow's-milk cheese, it normally weighs about 4.5 pounds. Its name comes from "mullet". When young its crust is supple, but with age it becomes harder. It has a grey crust and orangish flesh. The orange color comes from the natural colorant, achiote. Due to its appearance, this cheese is often mistaken at first glance for a cantaloupe.

La mimolette est un fromage traditionnellement produit dans le nord de la France d'où elle est originaire, dans la région de Lille et également aux Pays-Bas.

C'est un fromage à base de lait de vache, à pâte pressée non cuite, d'une masse moyenne de 2 kg. Sa croûte est grisâtre et sa chair orangée. Avec l'âge, elle devient de plus en plus cassante.
Selon sa durée d'affinage, elle peut être jeune (trois mois), demi-vieille (six mois), vieille (douze mois) ou extra vieille (deux ans).

La couleur orangée de sa chair provient d'un colorant naturel, le roucou.
Sa période de dégustation optimale s'étend d'avril à septembre après un affinage de 6 à 24 mois,

mais elle est bonne toute l'année.

The Mimolette is a most unusual cheese, spherical like an Edam but with a rough moon-like surface and a bright orange interior. It resembles a melon when cut open.

Maturing the cheeses involves storing them in damp cellars and turning them every week. At the same time the surface of the cheese is brushed to remove cheese mites which feast on its surface. As the cheese ages, evidence of mites can be seen in the pitted and moon like surface which appears on the cheese.