Dairy Ingredients for Food Processing

Table 11.21.

American Hispanic cheeses and their characteristics.

Category

Name

Flavor

Texture

Applications

Fresh, non - melting type

Queso blanco

Mild, creamy

Grainy, curdy

Shredded and sliced for use as

topping and fi

lling in cooked dishes

Queso fresco

Mild, milky, salty

Crumbly, moist

Grated for use in cooked dishes and

for garnishing

Queso para freir

Mild, creamy

Firm, moist

Sliced and shredded, deep - fried, pan

fried; crumbled for sprinkling on beans, salads, fruit

Queso requeson

Fresh milky

Grainy, ricotta - like

Crumbled and used as a fi

lling in

cooked foods, desserts, and sprinkled on salads and soups

Queso panela

Mild, sweet, milky

Firm, moist,

mozzarella - like

Sliced and shredded for sandwiches,

salads, cooked dishes

Queso crema

Mild, sweet, creamy

Firm, moist

Shredded and sliced for sandwiches,

salads, cooked dishes

Melting type: melts to

smooth texture

Queso Asadero

Mild, tangy,

provolone - like

Firm

Sliced and shredded for quesadillas,

grilled sandwiches, nachos, hamburgers

Queso Oaxaca

Mild, salty, sweet

milk - like

Firm

Shredded for use in cooked dishes

Queso menonita/

Chihuahua/quesadilla

Mild

Smooth, gouda - like

Sliced and shredded for sandwiches

and as table cheese

Queso manchego

Nutty, mellow

Firm

Sliced and shredded for sandwiches,

and as a snack with wine and fruit

Hard, aged type

Queso cotija

Very salty, piquant

Hard, dry, feta - like,

crumbly

Grated for use in cooked food, soups,

and for garnishing beans, salads

Queso cotija anejo

Very salty, pungent

Dry, hard, crumbly

Grated and crumbled for use in

salads, cooked foods

Queso duro

Salty, smoky/ fi

shy

Firm, dry

Crumbled for use in quesadillas,

queso fritos, and on beans

Queso enchilado

Salty, paprika - spicy

Hard, dry, crumbly

Grated and crumbled for use in

salads, soups, and hot foods

Adapted from Dairy Management, Inc. (2007)

314