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Mimolette Extra Vieille
Shaped like a pitted
melon, this neon orange cow milk cheese from Flanders, Normandy has many stories
told about its creation. My favorite tells a tale of France's King Louis XIV,
who banned the importation of Edamin (Edam) from his country. Apparently, the
king decided that the Dutch cheese was getting too popular among his subjects,
whom he felt, should be eating local: French cheese for French people! He
commissioned a French copy of the cheese and ordered it dyed orange. Now, either
that was to ensure that no one mistook the Mimolette for Edam again, or, given
that Louis XIV had issues with the Dutch Royal House of Orange-Nassau, maybe it
was a bit more personal.
Dyed with the annatto seed, Mimolette is aged for at least two years during
which time it develops a chewy texture and a smoky, almost bacon-like flavor.
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