Mimolette is a unique, cave-aged cheese from the Normandy region. In the cellars, Mimolette develops its wide range of fruity, nutty flavors. As soon as the boules of Mimolette arrive in their designated cellar, their quality is checked using a very ancient technique of tapping the topside of the cheese with a mallet to make sure there is no fissures in it. During the cave aging, numerous cheese-friendly mites go to work on the outside of the cheese helping aerate and age the paste inside while developing the rind. These microscopic mites are completely harmless to humans and feed off the mold that lives on the rind. To prevent the mites from penetrating the cheese, the Isigny affineurs brush the cheese once a month.
Each Mimolette cheese is then classified according to the length of time they are aged in the cellar: young (Jeune is 3 months), semi-old (Demi-Vieille is 6 months), old (Vieille is 12 months), extra mature (Extra Vieille is 18 months), and Grand Reserve (24 months). Mimolette's texture changes from a relatively soft, pressed curd cheese to a hard, flavorful cheese that breaks cleanly when matured. Mimolette is very attractive on any cheese plate with its bright orange color that comes from adding natural annatto to the highest quality milk. Highly versatile, Mimolette can be grated or shaved for recipes. Beer pairings include IPAs, Brown Ales, or Belgium style beers. For red wine, Cote du Rhône or Pinot Noir, and for white a Pouilly Fume works well. A classic pairing is Normandy Ciders. A secret dessert pairing is with dark milk chocolate!