Cotija is an aged Mexican cheese made from cow's milk and named after the town of

Cotija, Michoacán Cotija is a municipality located in the Mexican state of Michoacán. The municipality has an area of 504.05 km2 (0.91% of the surface of the state), and is bordered to the north by Jiquilpan and Villamar, to the east by Tocumbo, and to so ...

. White in color and firm in texture, its flavor is salty and milky. "Young" (or fresher) cotija cheese has been described as akin to a mild

feta Feta ( el, φέτα, ) is a Greek brined white cheese made from sheep's milk or from a mixture of sheep and goat's milk. It is soft, with small or no holes, a compact touch, few cuts, and no skin. Crumbly with a slightly grainy texture, it is ...

, while aged (''añejo'') cotija is more comparable in flavor to hard, aged cheeses like

Parmesan Parmesan ( it, Parmigiano Reggiano; ) is an Italian hard, granular cheese produced from cows’ milk and aged at least 12 months. It is named after two of the areas which produce it, the provinces of Parma and Reggio Emilia (''Parmigiano'' is ...

. Cotija softens when exposed to heat, but does not melt.

Queso Cotija de Montaña

El queso Cotija de Montaña or "grain cheese" is dry, firm, and very salty (the cheese is usually several times saltier than typical cheese, traditionally so that it will keep better). It is a seasonal cheese produced in limited quantities only from July to October because the cows are fed only on the rich grass that grows naturally on the mountains during the rainy season, giving the cheese its unique color and flavor.

Tajo variety

"Tajo" cheese is a moister, fattier, and less salty version that holds its shape when cut, with a flavor similar to

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

Production

Queso cotija is an

artisan cheese Artisanal cheese refers to cheeses produced by hand using the traditional craftsmanship of skilled cheesemakers. As a result, the cheeses are often more complex in taste and variety. Many are aged and ripened to achieve certain aesthetics. This c ...

made by hand; thus, every cheese is unique. This cheese usually comes in cylinders with a cream-colored crust. It is a ''queso de montaña'' (cheese of the mountains) because the cheesemakers live in the mountains as high as . The production method involves milling the

curds Curd is obtained by coagulating milk in a sequential process called curdling. It can be a final dairy product or the first stage in cheesemaking. The coagulation can be caused by adding rennet or any edible acidic substance such as lemon ...

into small pieces before pressing and aging. When cooked, it slightly softens, but does not otherwise change its shape or consistency. In the mouth, the cheese breaks up again to a sandy or grain-like consistency, adding to the texture of dishes.

Distribution

Cotija can be purchased in small rounds or large blocks. Like Parmesan, it is often sold already grated.

Uses

Cotija is often used as a "finishing" cheese in Mexican cuisine, crumbled or grated as a topping for

burritos A burrito (, ) is a dish in Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine that took form in Ciudad Juárez, consisting of a flour tortilla wrapped into a sealed cylindrical shape around various ingredients. The tortilla is sometimes lightly grilled or steamed t ...

, soups, salads, beans, tostadas, or

taco A taco (, , ) is a traditional Mexican food consisting of a small hand-sized corn- or wheat-based tortilla topped with a filling. The tortilla is then folded around the filling and eaten by hand. A taco can be made with a variety of filling ...

s, and Mexican ''elote'' (corn on the cob). If cotija can't be found, acceptable substitutes for fresh cotija include feta or

queso fresco Queso blanco (), literally ''white cheese'' in Spanish, can refer to many different kinds of cheeses whose only common trait is their white color. The specific cheese referred to depends on the region. Production Queso blanco is considered on ...

. Acceptable substitutes for aged cotija include ricotta salata, Parmesan, or

Romano cheese Romano cheese is a term used in the United States and Canada for a class of hard, salty cheese suitable primarily for grating similar to Pecorino Romano, from which the name is derived. In spite of the name, it should not be confused with genuine ...

. Cotija can be used as a substitute for the

Salvadoran Salvadorans (Spanish: ''Salvadoreños''), also known as Salvadorians (alternate spelling: Salvadoreans), are citizens of El Salvador, a country in Central America. Most Salvadorans live in El Salvador, although there is also a significant Salvado ...

cheese ''queso duro'' (also known as ''queso duro blando'') when queso duro is inaccessible, especially in applications such as the Salvadoran quesadilla, a

pound cake Pound cake is a type of cake traditionally made with a pound of each of four ingredients: flour, butter, eggs, and sugar. Pound cakes are generally baked in either a loaf pan or a Bundt mold. They are sometimes served either dusted with powd ...

-like sweet bread.

References

External links

Queso Cotija the best Cheese of the World (Spanish)

Queso Cotija article through Google translator
{{Cheese Mexican cheeses Cow's-milk cheeses