Uses for Mimolette?

[greygarious]

Months ago, I saw a Hubert Keller program where he praised and used Mimolette, though I can't recall how. I noticed it at Trader Joe's so I bought a smallish piece. Then I looked it up on Wikipedia and read about the cheese mites, which create a special flavor and which are eaten.....I'm sure the dogs would gobble the stuff up bugs and all, but I am NOT going to eat it unless it is cooked. It's still wrapped up in the fridge. Would Mimolette be a good choice for macaroni and cheese, or potatoes au gratin? If so, what other varieties would be best to include in the cheese mix? Are there other dishes using Mimolette?

[patz]

I really like mimolette, especially when it's aged (the TJs version is still young). The cheese mites are gone by the time the mimolette is sold...but if you only want to eat it cooked, why not try gougeres?
http://www.davidlebovitz.com/archives...

[Harters]

I'm not a great fan of Mimolette, although it's something I always bring back from Belgium or France because it's local to where I've stayed. I'd usually think of it as an eating, rather than cooking, cheese but I'm sure it would work in any dish where you might use a Dutch style cheese.

[Lisbet]

I LOVE most any kind of cheese....even Limburger, but have never heard of Mimolette!
So, thinking....."How come I could have been on this earth for this number of years (and being a lover of recipes and foods, to boot)..... missed learning about Mimolette cheese ???"

Well......did some checking, so came upon this website......

http://www.murrayscheese.com/prodinfo...

My only retort NOOOOOO THANKS !!!! (Gott'a draw the line somewhere!!!)

[bushwickgirl]

Well, I didn't think Mimolette was quite that bad...although I could find better uses for my $32.99 a lb.

[greedygirl]

Blimey - that's pricy. I bought a wedge back for a friend from France the other week. It was a lot cheaper than that. I can take it or leave it to be honest. There are much better French cheeses out there, imho.

[Harters]

"There are much better French cheeses out there, imho."

Indeed, greedygirl. And if you're looking for an absolute cracker of a cheese from the Nord/Pas de Calais regions, may I suggest Maroilles. A good eater but you often come across it in local dishes. Carrefour at Calais always has it - I've never seen it in the UK (but perhaps at specialist French cheese shop?).

[greedygirl]

I've had Maroilles many times - it is good stuff. There are some nice goat's cheeses as well. I like one from Boulogne which is heart-shaped! There are some real Mimolette fans out there though - my friend is mad for it. Have you ever had the super-aged stuff?

[Harters]

Yep - had the aged stuff. Still not keen - I'm not a great fan of Dutch style cheese.

Fairly uncommon outside of Belgium but if you come across Passendale (former spelling of village - Paschendaele) it's worth a try. A mild, creamy cheese - good contrast with something sharper.

Can't recall the name of the heart-shaped one but I'm sure I had it as part of the cheese course at a lunch we had in Calais earlier in the year.
http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?/...

[rainey]

Guys, the bacterial and fermenting action of any cheese could get to you if you knew what was going on. Cheese, like many delicious fermented foods like beer and wine and bread dough, is the bi-product of other living things ... well ... *living*. That's simply how it is.

If you take the time to think about it *most* food has it's more "real" aspects. I mean, how much time do you waste on where your egg or your milk comes from?

[greygarious]

Some things are best not dwelt upon. :>D I realize there are living things in food, but (other than bonito flakes) draw the line at eating food that I can see moving. Forty years ago in college, I had to read George Eliot's "Romola", which is set in the 15th century. I believe it was therein that I read a passage involving a prized round of cheese that was wrapped in twigs or hay, and riddled with maggots. I've never forgotten that gag-inducing mental image. Guess that would be casa marzu, or its ancestor.

Noticing on the label that my bit of mimolette is aged only 6 months, I realize that if it harbors any cheese mites, they are preemies. So I tasted a sliver from the center, as far from the rind as possible. Pretty good but not a favorite, even if I knew for sure it had no tenants. I'll eat it as is, but am cutting off a generous margin around the rind, which won't leave a lot to be consumed regardless of how.

[Humbucker]

According to the link Lisbet posted above, the cheese mites are microscopic, so unless you have supervision you wouldn't be able to see them. Also, there are no more cheese mites in the Mimolette by the time you purchase and consume it. If you eat washed rind cheese, they probably have as much or more life on that rind than the Mimolette ever did.

[cheesemaestro]

Mimolette was supposedly Charles De Gaulle's favorite cheese, but it isn't among mine. I find it rather boring, except when it is aged closed to two years. Even then, I don't think it has the allure or complexity of an aged gouda or cheddar. Well aged, it is it is best enjoyed on its own as a table cheese. If your cheese is on the younger side, you could try using it in a recipe that calls for a firm, but not hard, cheese like cheddar. I'm with everyone else on the issue of eating it uncooked, which is the way it is usually consumed.

[bushwickgirl]

What the cheesemaestro said. I have to say I've never experienced the "clicking sound of the maggots heard through the cheese."-Thanks Rainey! Wow, the things I've missed in life! Maybe mine was unripe? I found it to be an uninspiring cheese, similar to a young cheddar, not at all complex. I ate it fresh and didn't consider cooking with it.

[greedygirl]

Rainey wasn't talking about mimolette - it's casu marzu that has the maggots.

[bushwickgirl]

Oops, missed the link. This is what happens when you only half-read the posts. I was wondering why I had never heard of maggots in Mimolette, thought it was very strange!! Well, I guess I as well will not be trying casu marzu anytime soon.

[rainey]

That's OK. I never knew that mites were introduced to the rind of mimolette until the original post in this thread.

[rainey]

Mimolette is a lovely cheese with a full bodied, rounded flavor.

You could use it in mac & cheese but don't be intimidated out of trying it au naturel. At least it's just the rind and you can easily pass that part by. It's not exactly casu marzu. ;> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casu_marzu

[jeremyn]

I consider myself a reasonably adventurous eater but I don't think I could handle that.

[rainey]

Yeah, well, what the wiki doesn't say is that part of the appeal for the devotees is the audible clicking sound of the maggots heard through the cheese that indicates prime ripening.

Off-putting but apparently there's a brisk underground market for this stuff!

[greedygirl]

How old is it? Mimolette varies greatly in flavour depending on how much is is aged. The piece I bought in France the other week looks like a moon crater, and will be quite strong, but it's much milder when young. Also I wouldn't worry about eating it uncooked - it's fine.

[bluemoon4515]

I agree with Christina and greedygirl...mimolette is one of my most favorite cheeses. I've never tried it cooked because it's too delicious as is.

[ChristinaMason]

This might help: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/491200

Personally, I think you should try it uncooked first. Heat changes the flavor. Aren't you just a tiny bit curious? :

)

p.s. from what I read, the cheese is supposed to taste somewhere between cheddar and Edam. hope that helps with your pairings. good luck!