| Mimolette | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Country of origin | France |
| Town | Nord, Lille |
| Source of milk | Cows |
| Pasteurized | Yes |
| Texture | Hard |
| Aging time | 2 months – 2 years |
 Related media on Commons | |
Mimolette 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]
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 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.
It was originally made by the request of Louis XIV, who – in the context of Jean-Baptiste Colbert's mercantilistic policies – was looking for a native French product to replace the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]
The cheese was known to be a favorite of French President Charles de Gaulle. [8]
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. [9] The restriction was lifted in 2014. [10]
Cheddar cheese is a natural cheese that is relatively hard, off-white, and sometimes sharp-tasting. It originates from the English village of Cheddar in Somerset, South West England.
Mexican cuisine consists of the cooking cuisines and traditions of the modern country of Mexico. Its earliest roots lie in Mesoamerican cuisine. Mexican cuisine ingredients and methods begin with the first agricultural communities such as the Olmec and Maya who domesticated maize, created the standard process of nixtamalization, and established their foodways. Successive waves of other Mesoamerican groups brought with them their cooking methods. These included: the Teotihuacanos, Toltec, Huastec, Zapotec, Mixtec, Otomi, Purépecha, Totonac, Mazatec, Mazahua, and Nahua. With the Mexica formation of the multi-ethnic Triple Alliance, culinary foodways became infused.
Butter is a dairy product made from the fat and protein components of churned cream. It is a semi-solid emulsion at room temperature, consisting of approximately 80% butterfat. It is used at room temperature as a spread, melted as a condiment, and used as a fat in baking, sauce-making, pan frying, and other cooking procedures.
Monterey Jack, sometimes shortened to Jack, is a Californian white, semi-hard cheese made using cow's milk, with a mild flavor and slight sweetness. It has been called "an American original" and "as a vestige of Spanish rule in the early nineteenth century, derives from a Franciscan monastic style of farmer's cheese."
Annatto is an orange-red condiment and food coloring derived from the seeds of the achiote tree, native to tropical parts of the Americas. It is often used to impart a yellow to red-orange color to foods, but sometimes also for its flavor and aroma. Its scent is described as "slightly peppery with a hint of nutmeg" and flavor as "slightly nutty, sweet and peppery".
Bixa orellana, also known as achiote, is a shrub or small tree native to Central America. Bixa orellana is grown in many countries worldwide.
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Colby is a semihard orange cheese made from cow's milk. It is named after the city of Colby, Wisconsin, USA, where it was first developed in 1885 and quickly became popular.
Munster, Munster-géromé, or (Alsatian) Minschterkaas, is a soft cheese with a strong taste and aroma, made mainly from milk first produced in the Vosges, between the Alsace-Lorraine and Franche-Comté regions in France. The name "Munster" is derived from the Alsace town of Munster, where, among Vosgian abbeys and monasteries, the cheese was conserved and matured in monks' cellars.
Havarti or cream havarti is a semisoft Danish cow's milk cheese. It can be sliced, grilled, or melted.
Cantal cheese is an uncooked firm cheese produced in the Auvergne region of central France: more particularly in the département of Cantal as well as in certain adjoining districts. Cantal cheese was granted Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée certification in 1956. One of the oldest cheeses in France, Cantal dates back to the times of the Gauls. It came to prominence when Marshal Henri de La Ferté-Senneterre served it at the table of Louis XIV of France. Senneterre is also responsible for the introduction of Saint-Nectaire and Salers.
Spice cake is a type of cake that is traditionally flavored with a mixture of spices. The cake can be prepared in many varieties. Predominant flavorings include spices such as cinnamon, cloves, allspice, ginger, and nutmeg.
Haitian cuisine is a Creole cuisine that originates from a blend of several culinary styles that populated the western portion of the island of Hispaniola, namely African, French, indigenous Taíno, Spanish, and Arab influences. Haitian cuisine has some similarities with "criollo" cooking and similar to the rest of the Caribbean, but differs in several ways from its regional counterparts. Flavors are bold and spicy demonstrating African and French influences, with notable derivatives coming from native Taíno and Spanish techniques.
Cheese is a type of dairy product produced in a range of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fat from milk. During production, milk is usually acidified and either the enzymes of rennet or bacterial enzymes with similar activity are added to cause the casein to coagulate. The solid curds are then separated from the liquid whey and pressed into finished cheese. Some cheeses have aromatic molds on the rind, the outer layer, or throughout.
The flour mite, Acarus siro, a pest of stored grains and animal feedstuffs, is one of many species of grain and flour mites. An older name for the species is Tyroglyphus farinae.
Mini Babybel is a brand of small snack cheese products that are individually packaged and available in various flavors. It is a product of Le Groupe Bel, a company with roots in the Jura region of France, started by Jules Bel in 1865. Half of the global production of Mini Babybel is made in Évron, a commune in the northwest of France.
Cheese mites are mites that are used to produce such cheeses as Milbenkäse, Cantal and Mimolette. The action of the living mites on the surface of these cheeses contributes to the flavor and gives them a distinctive appearance. A 2010 scanning electron microscope study found that Milbenkäse cheese was produced using Tyrophagus casei mites, while Mimolette cheese used Acarus siro mites. Mimolette cheese, in particular, has live cheese mites in its rind which is thought to contribute to the cheese's distinct rind texture.
Some arachnids may be used for human consumption, either whole or as an ingredient in processed food products such as cheese (Milbenkäse). Arachnids include spiders, scorpions, and mites.
