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 Entertainment | Restaurants & Dining | August 2007 
A Quick Guide To Quesos
 Jeff Houck - HispanicBusiness.com
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Our guide includes most of the commonly found Mexican cheeses as well as other Hispanic cheeses used in Mexican cooking.
Queso blanco: Made with skimmed cow's milk, this white cheese has a creaminess that is a cross between mozzarella and cottage cheese and has a citrus flavor for the lemon juices used to coagulate it. It softens when heated but doesn't melt. Use in enchiladas.
Queso fresco: Mildly acidic, this spongy white cheese made with cow's and goat's milk came to Mexico from Burgos, Spain. A very mild feta is an acceptable substitute for the grainy and mildly acidic queso fresco. Use this cheese in enchiladas and taquitos.
Queso panela: Also called queso de canasta, this soft, white cheese is seen most often on a snack tray, as part of an appetizer or served with a cocktail.
Requeson: Great for spreads and enchilada fillings, this ricottalike cheese is frequently sold in markets wrapped inside corn husks.
Queso anejo: This is simply an aged version of queso fresco and, although classified as a soft cheese, can become quite firm and salty as it ages. It is used primarily as a garnish, crumbled or grated over a variety of dishes. Romano can be substituted for queso anejo.
Queso Oaxaca: The most popular cheese for making quesadillas, queso oazaca is a stretched curd cheese that is kneaded into balls. Also known as quesillo, this cheese should be pulled apart into thin strings before using to fill tortillas or melted on food. It is named after the Mexican city and state of Oaxaca.
Queso asadero: Used to make the Mexican fondue called queso fundido, this cheese usually is included in late-night suppers.
Queso Chihuahua: Unlike most Mexican cheeses, queso Chihuahua is pale yellow. It varies in flavor from mild to a nearly cheddarlike sharpness. It is used in a wide variety of dishes, including queso frito, a breaded fried-cheese dish.
Queso jalapeno: A smooth, soft, white cow's milk cheese with bits of jalapeno chili in it, this cheese is served as a snack or used to make quesadillas.
Queso criollo: This pale yellow cheese is a specialty of the region around Taxco, Guerrero, and can be used interchangeably with muenster cheese..
Queso edam: Cooks in the Yucatan region scoop out this cheese round, fill it with seasoned picadillo meat and steam it in the oven in the same manner that a custard is prepared. This queso relleno is then presented whole, accompanied by a salsa roja.
Queso manchego: Introduced to Mexico from the Spanish region of La Mancha, this buttery cheese is popular outside of Mexico as well. A yellow cheese, it is good for melting or for serving with fruit or crackers.
Queso anejo enchilada: This is queso anejo with a spicy red coating that as been aged to the point where it serves as a condiment. A strong feta cheese could be substituted for it.
Queso seco: A hard cheese perfect for grating, it has strong flavor and a dry, crumbly texture. Excellent for use in quesadillas.
Queso Cotija: This crumbly, sharp goat cheese is called "the Parmesan of Mexico." Named for its originating town of Cotija, Michoacan, it's usually served over salads and beans. |
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