MimoletteFrom the northern border of France, made in the region of the town of Lille, Mimolette is a French cheese that was originally made to mimic the Dutch cheese 'Edam'. It was at the request of Louis XIV that farmers began making this variant of hard cheese. Like so many of the 10 French cheeses introduced here, the aging time (ranging from only two months to two years) has the biggest influence on what the final product tastes like. French dining etiquette prescribes that cheese be served as a separate course, after the main course, before dessert and coffee. Common custom is to take some of each cheese from the cheese platter and put it on your own plate as it is passed around the table; you will not see the French reaching into the center of the table to cut each piece of cheese. Serve yourself as the platter goes around the table, and after everyone has been served, give it a taste! If you like it, ask for the platter to be passed again. The French will be delighted that foreigners like their cheeses so much! The history of French wine and cheese is a very long one. Not only have wine and cheese been produced for centuries in France, but production of these staples is still a very common endeavor in France. Regional Varieties Most wines and cheeses in France are specific to a certain region. This is partly because of cultural history, but also very much related to the geographical differences between different regions. For example, the grapes that are grown in the Champagne and Alsace (north and northeastern) regions of France are very different from the grapes grown in Bordeaux or Provence, which are both southern regions. In wine production, the region of origin is a very important factor.
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