New Orleans Eats Forums at NOLAEats.com

Oyster wrote:1) I thought the correct spelling was "Yall's" as a contraction, but who knows? Wasn't sure about the double '.

2) What IS the name of that "white cheese"? I asked 3 or 4 years ago when El Mexicano opened on the Westbank, and no one could name it. Must be the cheese in the Queso Dip?

3) My guess for the Mystery Meat Taco would be ...Tongue!

1) It's Y'all or Y'all's, a contraction of "you all".

3) that was my first thought as well.

Oyster wrote: 2) What IS the name of that "white cheese"? I asked 3 or 4 years ago when El Mexicano opened on the Westbank, and no one could name it. Must be the cheese in the Queso Dip?

are you thinking about Queso Fundido? melting pots can be made w/different cheeses.
or, are you asking about the Mexican "springle" cheese that is used as a topping sprinkled on many dishes?
I buy a lot of Mexican cheeses from the International Food Market, the Hispanic markets on Williams, and even WalMart.

the below from:
http://mexicanfood.about.com/od/resourc ... cheese.htm

Fresh Cheeses
Fresh cheeses have a crumbly texture and when they are heated, they do not melt, but they do become soft and creamy without losing their shape. You can also slice fresh cheese into sticks or cubes and fry it (without breading or anything on it) and it will become brown and crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Fresh cheeses have a generally mild flavor and pair well with any dish that calls for cheese, especially dishes like enchiladas and chile rellenos since the cheese will melt, but stay inside the dish. Some fresh cheeses are

* Queso Blanco- very similar to Monterrey Jack or Mozzarella in flavor
* Queso Fresco- crumbles easily
* Panela- crumbles very easily and has a slightly salty flavor
* Requesón- a very soft texture similar to Italian ricotta cheese

Melting Cheeses
Just as the name suggests, these cheeses were made to melt. They do not separate or get greasy when they are heated so they are ideal for any dish that calls for a lot of cheese like burritos or nachos. They are also great for American dishes like pizza and cheeseburgers.

* Queso Quesadilla- mild in flavor
* Asadero- stronger flavor
* Manchego- yellow color and tangy flavor
* Oaxaca- similar texture to string cheese
* Chihuahua- similar flavor to a mild cheddar

Hard Cheeses
These cheeses have a hard texture and can be grated. They are often used in refried beans, not just as a topping, but actually mixed into the beans themselves. Because of the strong flavors, it makes a perfect topping for beans, salads and even grilled meats.

* Cotija- strong flavor, similar to Italian parmesan
* Enchilado or Anejo Enchilado- very strong flavor and coated in chile powder or paprika

Thanks for the post EC.
I think this one was what I saw mostly on the menu the other day "Chihuahua- similar flavor to a mild cheddar" .

It was as someone else described, a nice change from the normal glop of cheese that comes at our usual tex mex places.

BTG wrote:Thanks for the post EC.
I think this one was what I saw mostly on the menu the other day "Chihuahua- similar flavor to a mild cheddar" .

It was as someone else described, a nice change from the normal glop of cheese that comes at our usual tex mex places.

I've found Chihuahua at the International Food Market across from Paretti's and some Hispanic market on Wms. that also serves food (really good and cheap, but be forewarned there is an organ player belting out Mexican disco tunes). I buy a lot of my seasonings from them as well. they have a varied meat dept too.

I have one of their menus - it does say Chihauhau cheese.

And Y'all.....
I was once in an elevator at the Marriott downtown at Mardi Gras - a woman visitor tells her husband:
"Honey, I just learned the plural of Y'all....it's All Y'all"

Made numerous business trips to Mexico City during the 1980's. Our Mexico Rep forever took me to places frequented by locals and not touristas. Saw the inside of many small grocery stores.

Each one seemed to have a large "block" of white cheese on the counter (20-30 lbs). Our Rep referred to it as "farmers cheese". You think that this was the Queso Blanco referred to by edible complex?

EC, thanks for the great post! I have learned much more than I had even given thought to! I was referring to the Queso Dip (white), but I had assumed that it was the same cheese as the white on the other plated items.

Thanks again!