Oaxaca Cheese
Cheese and cheese making came to Mexico with the arrival of the Spanish, who brought cows and goats. The art of cheese making is a specialty in most parts of Mexico, and many people make their own cheese at home. Cheeses sold in markets and stores are a delicious and varied lot. In many cases, even though they are known by their regional name, the most ppopular regional cheeses can be found in, and are used in, most parts of the country. Except for a few cheeses, most Mexican cheese is white. U.S.- style cottage cheese isn't sold in Mexico and there's no real equivalent. Most Mexican cheese is not pasteurized.
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Oaxaca Cheese is a white, semi-hard cheese of Mexican origin, similar to un-aged Monterey jack. Due to its excellent melting qualities, Asadero, a semi-soft, white, string-type cheese is frequently used as the base for queso blanco (literally "white cheese"), a dip popular in Mexican restaurants.
It is named after the state of Oaxaca, where it was first made. The production process is complicated and involves stretching the cheese into long ribbons and rolling it up like a ball of yarn. It is also known as quesillo, string cheese when shaped like a ball, and asadero cheese when shaped like a brick. Mozzarella is another cheese which is processed by stretching. It is used in typical cuisine, such as in quesadillas, which are tortillas with cheese and pumpkin flower or chicharrón.
If you've never tasted Queso Oaxaca, think of it as a Mexican mozzarella. Hand-stretched into long ribbons of string cheese and rolled up like a ball of yarn, it has a subtle flavor, and a wonderful texture. Very versatile, this cheese is also the base for the classic Mexican dish Queso Fondido, a Central American twist on fondue.
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Say Quesillo
Quesillo [kay-SEE-yoh]: Rope cheese made in Oaxaca. Popular for its melting quality in quesadillas, in chiles rellenos, and as a soup topping. The long strands of quesillo are rolled into a ball resembling a ball of twine.
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