There is an interesting story about aged Mimolette (also known as Boule de Lille). This particular variety was introduced to me ten years ago by my friend Todd. It's a beautiful aged cheese, bright orange in color with a salty and nutty flavor, and wonderful addition to a cheeseboard. In late 2013, there was a controversy surrounding the fact that cheese mites (or what the French call tiny affineurs for their role in the aging process), the microscopic little bugs that live on the surface of the aged cheese and eat the microscopic molds that grow there, were found to be, according to the Food and Drug Administration, not proper for human consumption. The FDA banned the cheese saying the mites used on the rind are an allergen. And cheese mites are not specific to Mimolette - they play a role on many aging cheeses. In France and the US, there was a major uproar to the ban on the cheese. Banned in the USA for over a year, it appears that Mimolette has just recently been allowed back into cheese shops and online markets.
Some Mimolette I found still stocked in a cheese shop in San Francisco, CA.
Mimolette Vieille from Isigny (photo from igourmet.com)
Country of origin: France
Region: Nord
Town: Lille
Type: Semi-hard, characteristics of butter and nuts, caramel, salty, inspired by Dutch Edam
Made from: Cow's milk
Manufacturer: Isigny Sainte Mère (one of the largest)
Texture: firm, smooth, fudgy finish, thick brown-grey dusty rind
Maturity: 18 to 24 months
Calories: 344/100g
Fat: 24g
Protein: 29g
Wine pairing: Riesling, aged red wine (especially merlot-based or Chateauneuf-du-Pape like blends), some people swear by a tawny port
