Oaxaca cheese ( es, queso Oaxaca) ( ), also known as quesillo and queso de hebra, is a white, semihard, low-fat cheese that originated in Mexico. It is similar to unaged

Monterey Jack Monterey Jack, sometimes shortened to Jack, is a Californian white, semi-hard cheese made using cow's milk, with a mild flavor and slight sweetness. It has been called "an American original" and "as a vestige of Spanish rule in the early nineteen ...

, but with a texture similar to

mozzarella Mozzarella (, ; nap, muzzarella ) is a southern Italian cheese traditionally made from Italian buffalo's milk by the pasta filata method. Fresh mozzarella is generally white but when seasoned it turns to a light yellow depending on the anim ...

string cheese String cheese is any of several different types of cheese where the manufacturing process aligns the proteins in the cheese, which makes it stringy. When mozzarella is heated to 60 °C (140 °F) and then stretched, the milk proteins ...

History

It is named after the state of

Oaxaca Oaxaca ( , also , , from nci, Huāxyacac ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Oaxaca ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca), is one of the 32 states that compose the Federative Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 570 municipaliti ...

in southern Mexico, where it was first made. The string cheese process was brought to Mexico by the Dominican friars that settled in Oaxaca. The cheese is available in several different shapes. The name "quesillo" is the one given by the region where it originated, then it adopted the name of Oaxaca cheese, the only real difference lies in where this dairy product was produced or where it is purchased, but in essence it is the same thing. However, there are those who believe that it would be better to keep the name Oaxaca cheese because this denomination would make this state famous outside the country and, like manchego cheese, gouda cheese or others, the name would be associated with a specific place.

Production

The production process is complicated and involves stretching the cheese into long ribbons and rolling it up like a ball of

yarn Yarn is a long continuous length of interlocked fibres, used in sewing, crocheting, knitting, weaving, embroidery, ropemaking, and the production of textiles. Thread is a type of yarn intended for sewing by hand or machine. Modern manu ...

using the ''pasta filata'' process. Another cheese made with this method is mozzarella curd, though the final process for Oaxaca cheese bears a closer resemblance to braided cheeses.

Uses

Queso Oaxaca is used widely in

Mexican cuisine Mexican cuisine consists of the cooking cuisines and traditions of the modern country of Mexico. Its earliest roots lie in Mesoamerican cuisine. Its ingredients and methods begin with the first agricultural communities such as the Olmec and ...

, especially in ''

quesadilla A quesadilla (; ; Mexican diminutive of ''quesada'') is a Mexican dish consisting of a tortilla that is filled primarily with cheese, and sometimes meats, spices, and other fillings, and then cooked on a griddle or stove. Traditionally, a c ...

s'' and '' empanadas'', where the ''queso Oaxaca'' is melted and other ingredients, such as '' huitlacoche'' and squash flowers, are added to the filling.

Outside Mexico

Oaxaca cheese is often confused with ''

asadero Asadero cheese (''queso asadero'' meaning "roastable" or "for grilling," also spelled "azadero") is a white, flat Mexican cheese that is made fresh from goat and cow's milk. "Asadero" is the kind of cheese, and individual pieces of the cheese are ...

'' (''queso asadero''), a cheese produced in the northern state of

Chihuahua Chihuahua may refer to: Places * Chihuahua (state), a Mexican state **Chihuahua (dog), a breed of dog named after the state **Chihuahua cheese, a type of cheese originating in the state **Chihuahua City, the capital city of the state **Chihuahua Mu ...

. They are similar in texture, but they are produced with different methods, making Oaxaca cheese moister. In

Costa Rica Costa Rica (, ; ; literally "Rich Coast"), officially the Republic of Costa Rica ( es, República de Costa Rica), is a country in the Central American region of North America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the no ...

, it is known as . The name is due to the similarity to the stringy consistency of heart of palm (palmito), and it is produced in the San Carlos and

Zarcero Zarcero is a district of the Zarcero canton, in the Alajuela province of Costa Rica. History Zarcero was granted the title of "ciudad" (city) by a law on 24 July 1918. Geography Zarcero has an area of km² and an elevation of metres. I ...

cantons of Alajuela Province. In

Nicaragua Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Managua is the coun ...

and

El Salvador El Salvador (; , meaning " The Saviour"), officially the Republic of El Salvador ( es, República de El Salvador), is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south ...

, the cheese is known as ''Quesillo.''

Gallery

Empanada flor de Calabeza.jpg, A ''

'' with ''queso Oaxaca'', '' flor de calabaza'', and ''

epazote ''Dysphania ambrosioides'', formerly ''Chenopodium ambrosioides'', known as Jesuit's tea, Mexican-tea, ''payqu'' ''(paico)'', ''epazote'', ''mastruz'', or ''herba sanctæ Mariæ'', is an annual or short-lived perennial herb native to Central A ...

'' Tlayuda con Quesillo, Oaxaca.jpg, A '' tlayuda'' topped with tomato and strings of ''quesillo Oaxaca''

References

External links

* Cow's-milk cheeses Stretched-curd cheeses Mexican cheeses Oaxacan cuisine Nicaraguan cheeses Salvadoran cuisine {{mexico-cuisine-stub