If you are like a lot of Americans, your conception of the role of cheese in Mexican food is a little skewed. Typically, what one sees a lot of in the US is an Americanized version of Mexican dishes; many people’s only exposure to cheese in the context of Mexican cuisine is either cheddar cheese or perhaps Monterey jack in a taco or burrito.
There are a lot of cheeses, which are unique to Mexico; the country has a tradition of making cheese and other dairy products, which goes back several centuries now. Happily, these cheeses are becoming increasingly easy to find in the US, opening up new options for cooks who want to try cooking their favorite Mexican foods at home.
Cheese (or queso as it is known in Spanish) came to the New World along with the conquistadors. The European colonists brought cows and goats before long, dairy products began being produced in the country, which were uniquely Mexican. There are now a wide variety of different Mexican cheeses, each with its own character and flavor. You will find these cheeses used in many different authentic Mexican recipes, which showcase them with ingredients, which complement their flavors and textures perfectly.
Quesadillas are one of the more familiar Mexican dishes in the US; however, queso Oaxaca, the cheese customarily used to make them is far less so. This cheese is a mild flavored string cheese, which is great on its own as a snacking cheese as well as being ideal for quesadillas, enchiladas, and other Mexican recipes with melted cheese. If you can find this cheese in your local markets, give it a try the next time you are thinking of making quesadillas at home.
Cotija is a hard cheese, which is usually grated or crumbled. This cheese has a sharp, salty flavor, which makes it a terrific addition to salads. This cheese is also excellent as a topping for refried beans or soups. Cotija is very similar to Romano cheese in both flavor and texture, though it has a certain quality which is all its own. Cotija is named for the town in Michoacn state where the cheese originates from.
A popular cheese for the Mexican sandwiches called tortas is queso criollo. This is a pale yellow cheese with a mild, nutty flavor, which is somewhat like Munster. Originally made in the state of Guerrero, this cheese is a good choice for sandwiches of all sorts; you may occasionally even find it grated for use in quesadillas.
Queso fresco is a cheese, which originates in Spain but has been enthusiastically adopted by Mexican cooks. This is a mild, soft cheese made from both cow’s and goat’s milk. Try queso fresco crumbled on salads or tacos, as a filling for chiles rellenos, or serve it with fruit; berries and pears make especially wonderful pairings with this mild cheese.
It would take a lot more space than we have here to go into detail about all of the many delicious Mexican cheeses, which can add little something extra to your favorite Mexican recipes. If you like to cook Mexican food at home, be sure to pay a visit to your local Mexican grocer and explore some new tastes.
