Mimolette Cheese vs Picodon Cheese
Mimolette Cheese is a smooth, creamy body cow-milk cheese from France, while Picodon Cheese is homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer and made from goat milk.
What Is Mimolette Cheese?
Mimolette is a hard, bright orange cow's milk cheese made around Lille in northern France. It is sold at several ages, from young wheels that taste like Parmesan to extra-old ones with a hazelnut flavor and a grey, mite-worked rind.
What Is Picodon Cheese?
Picodon is a small goat's milk cheese from the Rhône area of southern France, made mainly in the Ardèche and Drôme. Its name means spicy in Occitan, and it is known for a dry, fine paste that hardens and sharpens with age.
What's the Difference Between Mimolette Cheese and Picodon Cheese?
- Milk type: Mimolette Cheese (Cow's milk), Picodon Cheese (Goat's milk)
- Milk treatment: Mimolette Cheese (Pasteurized), Picodon Cheese (Raw, non-standardized, unhomogenized)
- Texture: Mimolette Cheese (Smooth, creamy body), Picodon Cheese (Homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer)
- Rind: Mimolette Cheese (Natural), Picodon Cheese (Fine, lightly covered with uniform or speckled moulds)
- Aging: Mimolette Cheese (6 weeks to 24 months), Picodon Cheese (Marketed starting 12 days after renneting; 30 days for "matured and washed" or "matured using the Dieulefit method")
- Taste: Mimolette Cheese (Sweet, less acidic, fruity, nutty, caramel), Picodon Cheese (Frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Mimolette Cheese | Picodon Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | France | — |
| Specific Origin | Flanders Area Of Pas-De-Calais | Ardèche And Drôme Regions, Including Parts Of Gard And Vaucluse |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk | Goat's milk |
| Milk Treatment | Pasteurized | Raw, non-standardized, unhomogenized |
| Texture | Smooth, creamy body | Homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer |
| Rind | Natural | Fine, lightly covered with uniform or speckled moulds |
| Aging | 6 weeks to 24 months | Marketed starting 12 days after renneting; 30 days for "matured and washed" or "matured using the Dieulefit method" |
| Taste | Sweet, less acidic, fruity, nutty, caramel | Frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency |
Taste Comparison: Does Mimolette Cheese Taste Like Picodon Cheese?
Mimolette Cheese reads as sweet, less acidic, fruity, nutty, caramel, while Picodon Cheese brings frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency character. More specifically, Mimolette Cheese shows mature: dense, waxy, hints of butterscotch; young: mild, while Picodon Cheese leans toward nut, light notes of mushroom, occasional pungency, possible fermentative taste. Aging plays into this as well. Mimolette Cheese at 6 weeks to 24 months develops a different profile than Picodon Cheese at marketed starting 12 days after renneting; 30 days for "matured and washed" or "matured using the dieulefit method".
Can You Substitute Mimolette Cheese for Picodon Cheese?
Mimolette Cheese can stand in for Picodon Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect smooth, creamy body bite and body where the recipe calls for homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer. Flavor-wise, Mimolette Cheese reads as sweet, less acidic, fruity, nutty, caramel while Picodon Cheese brings frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency notes.
Which Is Better, Mimolette Cheese or Picodon Cheese?
There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a smooth, creamy body cheese, go with Mimolette Cheese. For a homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer profile, Picodon Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Mimolette Cheese suits recipes that want sweet, less acidic, fruity, nutty, caramel notes, while Picodon Cheese fits dishes calling for frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mimolette Cheese the same as Picodon Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Mimolette Cheese is made from cow milk; Picodon Cheese uses goat. Aging also differs: Mimolette Cheese is typically aged 6 weeks to 24 months, Picodon Cheese marketed starting 12 days after renneting; 30 days for "matured and washed" or "matured using the dieulefit method".
Is Mimolette Cheese similar to Picodon Cheese?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Mimolette Cheese for Picodon Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Mimolette Cheese taste like Picodon Cheese?
Mimolette Cheese reads as sweet, less acidic, fruity, nutty, caramel, while Picodon Cheese is frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency.
What is Mimolette Cheese made of?
Mimolette Cheese is made from cow milk (pasteurized). It's typically aged 6 weeks to 24 months. It originates in France.
What is Picodon Cheese made of?
Picodon Cheese is made from goat milk (raw, non-standardized, unhomogenized), using small amount used, lactic coagulation rennet. It's typically aged marketed starting 12 days after renneting; 30 days for "matured and washed" or "matured using the dieulefit method".
Which should I choose, Mimolette Cheese or Picodon Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Mimolette Cheese is smooth, creamy body, while Picodon Cheese is homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer.