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Mahón-Menorca Cheese vs Mimolette Cheese
Mahón-Menorca Cheese
Mimolette Cheese
In this article, we'll explore the answers to the most common questions about Mahón-Menorca Cheese and Mimolette Cheese, including:
- "What is the difference between Mahón-Menorca Cheese and Mimolette Cheese?"
- "Is Mahón-Menorca Cheese and Mimolette Cheese the same?"
- "How does Mahón-Menorca Cheese compare to Mimolette Cheese cheese?"
- "How does the taste of Mahón-Menorca Cheese compare to Mimolette Cheese?"
- "Is Mahón-Menorca Cheese or Mimolette Cheese better?"
Mahón-Menorca Cheese Overview
Mahón-Menorca is a cow's milk cheese from the island of Menorca in the Balearic Islands. It has a square shape with rounded edges and is known for its orange rind and soft to hard texture depending on age. The flavor is slightly salty and tangy, with buttery notes in younger cheeses and a sharper taste in older ones.
Mimolette Cheese Overview
Mimolette is a hard cheese from the region of Lille, France, known for its bright orange color and spherical shape. It has a firm texture and a nutty, sweet flavor that deepens as it ages. Older Mimolette is known for its dry and crumbly texture, making it an excellent grating cheese.
Comparing the Two Cheeses
Country of Origin
Mahón-Menorca Cheese comes from Spain. Mimolette Cheese originated from France.
Certification
Many cheeses have some kind of protected status that makes it so they can only be produced in a certain manner and location. Mahón-Menorca Cheese has a PDO (1996), PDO (1985). Mimolette is not a protected cheese.
Milk Type and Treatment
Mahón-Menorca Cheese is made with cow or sheep milk that is typically raw. Mimolette Cheese is made with cow milk that is typically pasteurized.
Composition and Texture
Mahón-Menorca's texture can be described as "firm". Mimolette's texture can be described as "smooth, creamy body".
Taste and Aroma
Mahón-Menorca Cheese has a salty and spicy taste. Mahón-Menorca's aroma can be described as "lactic, buttery". Mimolette Cheese has a sweet, less acidic, fruity, nutty, caramel taste. Mimolette's aroma can be described as "butterscotch".
Appearance and Aging
Mahón-Menorca Cheese's appearance is colored ivory-yellow to orangey or brownish gray , is available in parallelepiped shape and is aged tender: 21-60 days, semi-cured: 2-5 months, vintage: >5 months . Mimolette Cheese has a color of electric-orange , comes in slightly flattened sphere, 5 to 8 pounds (2.3–3.6 kg) and has an aging period of 6 weeks to 24 months .
Rind and Rennet Type
Mahón-Menorca Cheese's rind is described as characteristic orangish and uses vegetable (cynara cardunculus) rennet. Mimolette Cheese's rind is described as natural .
Ranking
Mahón-Menorca is ranked #222 out of 996 types based on community views. Mimolette is ranked #105 out of 996 types based on community views.
Side-by-Side Comparison Table
| Mahón-Menorca Cheese | Mimolette Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | Spain | France |
| Specific Origin | Menorca, Balearic Islands | Flanders Area Of Pas-De-Calais |
| Certification | PDO (1996), PDO (1985) | Not Specified |
| Milk Type | Friesian, Menorcan, Brown Alpine cow’s milk, some ewe’s milk (max 5%) | Cow's milk |
| Milk Treatment | Raw or any authorized preservation technology | Pasteurized |
| Rind | Characteristic orangish | Natural |
| Texture | Firm | Smooth, creamy body |
| Taste | Salty and spicy | Sweet, less acidic, fruity, nutty, caramel |
| Aroma | Lactic, buttery | Butterscotch |
| Colors | Ivory-yellow to orangey or brownish gray | Electric-orange |
| Forms | Parallelepiped shape | Slightly flattened sphere, 5 to 8 pounds (2.3–3.6 kg) |
| Age | Tender: 21-60 days, Semi-cured: 2-5 months, Vintage: >5 months | 6 weeks to 24 months |
| Rennet Type | Vegetable (Cynara cardunculus) | Not Specified |
Which One Should You Choose?
If you prefer a firm cheese, go for Mahón-Menorca. But if you enjoy a smooth, creamy body consistency, Mimolette might be the better pick. Mahón-Menorca has a salty and spicy taste, making it great for various dishes. Meanwhile, Mimolette offers a sweet, less acidic, fruity, nutty, caramel profile, ideal for different meals.
