Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Queso


Keh so, (not kay so). A faithful reader asks, "What gives with the Mexican cheese?"
My favorite brand: Cacique, sold in most supermarkets, even the mainstream ones. So the owner's an exile from Cuba? He's become quite a wealthy guy serving a demand that hadn't been met when he arrived in these parts; he lives in the San Gabriel Valley, and is apparently quite the humanitarian.

Top 3:
Cotija, a hard cheese to grate as a sharp contrast. Use on huevos rancheros, enfrijoladas, grate on top of refried beans, pan fried tacos.
Oaxaca: mellow and melting. Roast and shred a half dozen pasilla chiles. Grate or slice cheese on top, run under broiler. What else do you need?
Crema Mexicana: Sour cream will seem a pitiful imitation after this. Use with discretion, or indiscriminately, depending upon your metabolism.

5 comments:

  1. "....with Chilie Rellenos?

    Sounds good to this k9.

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  2. Ok, my hand is up. Is cotija suitable for a cheeseboard? What about Oaxaca?

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  3. Ah, rellenos! Delicious but demanding.
    Cheese board--well, there's our cultural confusion. To my limited 3rd generation knowledge, it's not so much a dairy culture. Garnishes, toppings, stuffings, not so much on its own. However, good candidates might be Monterey jack, spicy jack, which we all love of course and manchego. (Which, is actually Spanish. Like queso Zamorano. It exists! I swear!)
    Spanish cheese may be what you're lookin' for!

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  4. I have a bunch of leftover cotija - thanks for the ideas. Maybe I'll grate some over the enchiladas I'm making tomorrow night.

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