MIMOLETTE
Isigny Sainte -Mere

Cow's Milk
France
Aged: 12 months

Mimolette’s striking appearance may remind some of a cantaloupe but it is actually a French copy of Edam.  Dyed a deep orange color & allowed to form a natural rind, it is a wonderful cheese to have on any cheese board.  Firm though surprisingly creamy texturally, Mimolette has a mild & smooth flavor becoming subtly sharp towards the end.  But its most intriguing attribute lies in its exterior: the tiny wholes & texture of the rind are the hard work of harmless cheese mites that gorge themselves while the cheese is aging (the wheels are brushed before shipping to extricate these nits).  Their tunneling encourages air to flow into the cheese influencing Mimolette’s unique flavor that hints at a fruity nuttiness with caramel undertones.