When we opened the door to go into Barthélémy we felt like we opened the door into Paris many years ago. It appeared that they did not change one item since their opening. We were immediately greeted by a helpful cheese connoisseur that brought us inside the shop and asked what type of cheese we would need. There were so many choices and everything was labeled in French, so we were glad we came prepared with a slip of paper with the word 'Mimolette.' My uncle, Bobby Carlsen, had given us advice on cheeses to try and this was his favorite cheese in France that is not available in the United States. Mimolette is a popular selection in Paris and Barthélémy had a large section dedicated to Mimolette. After we had purchased the cheese block, our connoisseur led us quickly out the door. It is a very small store, so we assumed they needed to get customers in and out very fast. If there are more than three customers, it is already crowded!
The Mimolette's vibrant color matched its flavor. It had the texture of a Parmesan block, but the taste had a more exotic nutty flavor. We asked several Parisian patrons if they ate the rind of the cheese, and most responded that if you like the taste the rind is there for you to eat, but if you do not like the taste or texture than don't eat it. Much like everything in Paris, they said to do whatever makes you happy. I did not eat the rind, Dylan did and it was very rich!
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