Cheese "fleeting" is very famous not only at home, in France, but throughout the rest of the world. It belongs to the category of hard cheeses. The product is made in the shape of a ball, which has a gray uneven crust, and the mass inside it is bright orange. That is why the Flamo Mimolet cheese looks so much like cantaloupe.
Many names
This product has as many as four different names. The first, already mentioned here, “Passing”, it comes from the French word mi-mou, which translates as “soft half”. It is so called because young cheese of this kind has a semi-soft texture.
It is also called the “Lille Ball”. Since it has a round shape, and its production is established in the vicinity of the French town of Lille.
The following name is “Old Holland”. This name indicates the similarity of production technologies with the Dutch "Edam". Commissiekaas - this name was given to cheese by residents of some regions of Belgium and the Netherlands.
general information
The “Mimolet” includes cheese, cow's milk. Its standard weight is from two to four kilograms. This product is considered to be ideal for a cheese plate, but judging by the reviews of Mimolet cheese, it is also good as an appetizer or grated component for some dishes.
History reference
Like any well-known French cheese, Mimolet has its own unusual history. “Edam” can be considered quite justifiably its ancestor, not without reason the processes of their production are almost identical. “Passenger” appeared due to the decree of the French king Louis XIV, which in 1600 banned the import of imported cheeses into the country in order to support its own producers. At that time, the most popular product in this country was Edam, and restrictions were also introduced on its import. Of course, consumers began to demand a decent domestic replacement. Cheesemakers from Lille quite successfully coped with this task.
In order to distinguish their cheese from "Edam", they began to add natural dye annatto to their product. Thanks to him, the Mimolet cheese has a bright orange color and an unusual nutty flavor.
But this is not the only difference between Fleet and Edam. Lille cheesemakers with the help of mealy mites strengthened the cheese flavor. These babies gnaw holes in the crust, which contributes to the constant flow of air into the cheese.
An interesting fact: the famous native of Lille, the French president Charles de Gaulle, of all cheeses, prefers exactly the “Passover”.
This product is not as safe as it seems. It’s better not to lean too hard on him. Cheese mites can cause severe allergies.
Manufacturing process
The composition of the cheese "fleeting" includes cow's milk. An important feature of the process is the use of microscopic Acarus siro ticks and nematodes.
Before sending cheese to the basement, a tick population is planted on its crust. And the point is not only that microorganisms make "moves" not only in the crust, but throughout the cheese, the formation of the final taste is due to the waste products of bugs. That is why the "fleeting" becomes more saturated with age.
In order for the ticks to not stop in one place, the heads periodically have to be turned over. Photos of the Cheese "Mimolet" can be seen below.
Heads are aged from three months to two years. Cheesemaking specialists check the readiness of products for use by tapping a head with a wooden hammer.
Types of cheese
There are four varieties of this product, its taste is directly dependent on how long it has matured.
- Cheeses that are aged from four months to six months are considered to be young. It is very elastic and slightly oily. In the sweet taste, nutty notes are felt in the first place, and fruit in the second.
- Semi-ripe cheese is called Mimolet cheese, which lasted from six months to nine months. It is significantly harder than the previous one. And the aroma is dominated by fruity and spicy notes.
- Ripe Mimolet cheese is one whose aging is about a year. Such a product is marked with a red label. It has a fairly dark crust and a fragile body.
- Extra mature "fleeting" is aged one and a half years. It also has a red label. This is the most expensive view. Its taste and bouquet is fully formed.
What is the use of "fleeting"
The youngest species is most often used as a component of various dishes. It can be salads, sauces, canapes and sandwiches. But mature varieties form the basis of a cheese plate, which is served after a meal with a light fruit wine or beer.
In order to get rid of ticks, you should soak the product in calvados.
Reviews
People note such positive points:
- interesting, unusual color;
- short shelf life, which confirms the naturalness;
- special taste similar to Parmesan.
Among the negative reviews there are such marks:
- high price;
- not sold in every store.
Interesting fact
In the spring of 2013, the delivery of Mimolet to America stopped, as it became a banned product. Almost 700 kilograms of cheese was destroyed, as it was recognized by the Department of Food Security as "unfit for food" because insects from its peel could cause allergies. It is worth noting that in this country there are a lot of fans of the Mimolet, and in 2012 about 60 tons of this product were sold in the USA.