But as with Mexican food in general, Hispanic-style cheeses continue to grow in popularity, with many varieties now available in mainstream supermarkets across the country.

California is the country’s leading producer of Hispanic-style cheeses, followed by Wisconsin. You don’t need to wait for Cinco De Mayo to try them, but they’ll make the celebration more authentic.

Thanks to the California Milk Advisory Board for this guide to domestic-made, Hispanic-style cheeses.

Note that the names given here are the most common names for these cheeses. However, it is not uncommon for a Hispanic-style cheese to be called by more than one name. Also, some cheese makers sell their cheeses under a proprietary name. In most cases the names given here will be on the package.

> The history of cheese.

> The different types of cheese: a photo glossary.
 
 
FRESH HISPANIC-STYLE CHEESES

Fresh (unripened) cheeses are very young cheeses that have not been allowed to age. Typically, fresh cheeses are soft and moist, white or off-white in color. They have a shorter shelf life than aged cheeses and must be kept in the refrigerator.

Many Hispanic-style cheeses soften but do not melt when cooked. Because they hold their shape when heated, they are often used as fillings or toppings in recipes.

They also tend to have mild to pronounced saltiness, so require less salt added to recipes. You can find them in whole-milk or low-fat varieties.

[2] Queso fresco with mango salsa (photo courtesy EatWisconsinCheese.com).

[3] Queso blanco (photo © Wisconsin Cheese).

[5] Anejo Enchilado is a firm, aged Mexican cheese, rubbed with mild red chili or paprika for added flavor. It is typically used as a garnish, crumbled or grated over a variety of dishes (photo © SpecialtyProduce.com).

AGED HISPANIC-STYLE CHEESES

Aged Hispanic cheeses are made in semi-firm and firm styles. Some will soften but not melt when heated; others are excellent melting cheeses that add richness and creaminess to cooked foods.

Aged cheeses have a longer shelf life than fresh cheeses. Store them in the fridge and handle them as you would Cheddar or Jack.

Most are available in whole-milk or low-fat varieties.

Note that “añejo” (aged) means something different in Hispanic-style cheeses: It is not analogous to American and European aged cheeses.

Hispanic-style cheeses are aged to some degree, but their dry texture and pungent, sharp flavor come from being salted, pressed and dried rather than being aged for a long time.

 
 
IN SUM…

Latin cuisine can be spicy, but the cheeses are usually mild, providing a pleasant contrast. Dairy products also lessen the heat of fiery chile peppers*.

When choosing a Hispanic-style cheese for cooking, keep these three categories in mind:

 
Delicioso!
 
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*The casein (a protein) in dairy binds with the capsaicin (the heat component of chiles) to help wash it out of your mouth.
  

Depending on which survey you read, the Margarita may be the most popular cocktail in the U.S. There are scores of variations, from Ginger Margarita and Melon Margarita to Frozen Grape Margarita to a Frozen Kiwi Cilantro Margarita.

For Cinco de Mayo, we’re adding a new Margarita recipe to our repertoire: the Blood Orange Margarita.

The original Margarita was made with tequila, Cointreau and lime juice. Here’s the story and more Margarita trivia.

The recipe was developed by Chef Billy at Prepara.com. If you can’t find fresh blood oranges for the purée, look for frozen purée or substitute refrigerated blood orange juice.

RECIPE #1: BLOOD ORANGE MARGARITA

Ingredients Per Drink

1. PREPARE the optional salt rim. We like to mix 1/3 orange zest with 2/3 salt (zest the orange before squeezing the juice). Dip the rim of the glass into 1/4 inch of water, then twist in a dish of the salt or salt mix to create the rim.

2. COMBINE all of the ingredients in a shaker. Shake well and strain into a glass with more ice. Garnish as desired and serve.
 
RECIPE #2: BLOOD ORANGE PURÉE

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. ADD all ingredients to a blender or food processor and purée. Taste and add more simple syrup and.or lemon juice as desired.
 
MORE MARGARITA RECIPES

[1] A ramekin of Dulce De Leche Rice Pudding (photo and recipe © IMUSA USA).

[2] It’s easy to toast almonds. The instructions are below (photo © Murray’s Cheese).

[3] Garnish the pudding with an optional sprinkle of cinnamon (photo © American Heritage Chocolate).

[4] Dulce de leche can be lighter or darker, based on the length of cooking (photo © Karolina Kolodziejczak | Unsplash).

[5] It may look like chocolate pudding in this photo, but in person, dulce de leche is a deep caramel color (photo Audinou | Wikipedia).

[6] The longer you cook dulce de leche, the darker it turns and the deeper the flavor (photo © The Heart Of Food [now closed]).

[7] Use ‘em if you got ‘em—serve pudding in cocktail glasses or wine goblets (photo © Taste Of Home).

[8] Make Rice Pudding Cheesecake With Dulce De Leche, with this recipe from Kraft.

Rice is not native* to Mexico; dulce de leche caramel sauce is.

Combine them to make a most delicious fusion food: Dulce De Leche Rice Pudding (photo #1).

It’s a treat for Cinco De Mayo or for any day of the year when your palate calls out for rice pudding. (October 11th is World Dule De Leche Day.)

And if this sounds good to you, check out photo #8: a rice pudding cheesecake with dulce de leche (the recipe link is in the photo caption).
 
 
WHAT IS DULCE DE LECHE?

Dulce de leche (DOOL-say day LETCH-ay) is a sweet, thick milk caramel sauce, prepared by slowly heating a can of sweetened milk until it caramelizes.

The result is a confection that can be used as a filling or sauce—or eaten from the jar (see photos #4, #5 and #6).

You can buy dulce de leche in a jar, but it’s easy to make—simply by heating sweetened condensed milk until it caramelizes, as in the recipe below.

Before the invention of sweetened condensed milk (it was patented by Gail Borden in 1856), dulce de leche was made by more laboriously reducing milk (cow’s or goat’s) with sugar.

Now it’s easy, so let’s start by making a batch.

Cajeta is the Mexican word for dulce de leche, and is made with goat’s milk.

Other Spanish -speaking countries use “dulce de leche.”

World Dulce de Leche Day is October 11th.
 
 
RECIPE: HOMEMADE DULCE DE LECHE

Ingredients For 1-1/4 Cups

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 425°F with the rack in middle. Pour the sweetened condensed milk into a 9-inch, deep-dish pie plate and cover tightly with foil. Set the pie plate in a roasting pan and add enough hot water to reach halfway up the pie plate.

2. BAKE for 45 minutes, then check the water level. Add additional water as necessary, and bake another 45 minutes, or until the milk is thickened and brown. Remove the plate from the water bath and cool, uncovered.

3. REFRIGERATE, tightly covered, until ready to use. It will keep without loss of flavors for up to 2 weeks.
 
You can also make dulce de leche by boiling the unopened can of sweetened condensed milk in a pot on the stovetop, simmering for 2-3 hours. The oven technique is faster.
 
 
RECIPE: DULCE DE LECHE RICE PUDDING

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. BRING 3 cups of milk to simmer in a small pot over medium heat. Add rice and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring with a wooden spatula every ten minutes.

2. WHISK the egg yolks, vanilla and salt with the remaining cup of milk and set aside.

3. SLOWLY MIX the egg yolk mixture into the rice and add the dulce de leche. Continue mixing until the contents come to a simmer and the rice pudding starts to thicken. Remove from heat and pour into individual bowls or ramekins. When ready to serve…
 
4. GARNISH with cinnamon and almonds.
 
 
MORE DULCE DE LECHE RECIPES

 
 
HOW TO TOAST ALMONDS

You can toast slivered or whole almonds in just five minutes, in a regular or toaster oven.

Toasting gives all nuts a deeper, smoother flavor. Toast 1/2 cup to 1 cup as a garnish.

If you have leftovers, store them for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container. Use them cereal, on salads and soups, on vegetables, in muffin batter, on frosting, etc.
 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 350°F. Spread the almonds in a single layer on a cookie sheet or in a roasting pan. Bake for 3-4 minutes; then shake pan to for even browning.watching closely so that they don’t get over-toasted or burn.

2. RETURN to the oven, checking every minute until the almonds are the desired color. Don’t let them get too dark; they’ll acquire a burnt taste.

3. REMOVE from oven and immediately pour transfer to a large plate to cool in a single layer (otherwise, the almonds will continue to brown from the carryover heat.

4. STORE, completely cooled, in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
 
 
MORE DULCE DE LECHE RECIPES

 
 
> THE HISTORY OF DULCE DE LECHE
 
 
> THE HISTORY OF RICE PUDDING
 
 
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*Rice has been consumed in China for some 5,000 years. The first documented account of cultivation appears in 2,800 B.C.E. The grain then traveled west: to ancient Greece, from Persia to the Nile Delta, wherever there was the warmth and aquaculture it required. It came to the Western Hemisphere, landing in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1685. [Source]
  

[1] Ravioli with walnut butter (photo © David Venable | QVC).

[2] Steak with Roquefort Butter (photo © Recipes101.com).

Compound butter (beurre composé), seasoned/flavored butter, is a staple of French cuisine. Almost any flavor can be blended into butter, which is then rolled into a log, covered with plastic wrap, and refrigerated. When needed, just cut a slice from the log.

For most of its life, compound butter was used as finishing butter: a pat to top hot proteins and vegetables, or blended with pan juices to make a sauce.

Perhaps the best-known compound butter in the U.S. is garlic butter, known as beurre d’ail or beurre à la bourguignonne in France. Italian-American garlic bread is an Americanized bruschetta, made with butter instead of olive oil.

The great French chef Escoffier (1846-1935) published 35 combinations in 1903. They included such classic combinations as anchovy butter with steak and seafood, Roquefort butter on steaks, beurre à la maître d’hotel (lemon parsley butter) with escargots, various herb butters for meat, poultry, fish and vegetables; and numerous nut, spice and wine butters.

As a truffle lover, we find truffle butter to be a transformational experience, whether used simply on pasta or in a more elaborate preparation. We can have a joyous meal of only a fresh baguette and a tub of D’Artagnan truffle butter.
 
 
MODERN COMPOUND BUTTER

You may not cook French cuisine, but if you like butter, you can incorporate compound butters into much of what you do make: grilled meats and seafood, pasta, potatoes, rice and other grains, eggs, anything that needs a butter sauce.

Use your favorite flavors: the classics or more modern additions to American cuisine, such as curry, hot sauce, lavender, wasabi…you can think of dozens of great pairings.

Consider combinations such as:

 
Any of these butters can also be used as spreads; on potatoes, rice and vegetables; and for basting and sautéing foods in butter, or making a quick butter sauce.
 

RECIPE #1: JALAPEÑO COMPOUND BUTTER

This recipe, from Gordy’s Pickle Jar, uses Gordy’s Thai Basil Pickled Jalapeños. Or, you can pickle your own (recipe below).

This recipe is for a small batch: good for testing and then adjusting the ingredients.

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. SLICE the stick of butter into eight pieces and place it in a stainless steel bowl. Let it soften to room temperature.

2. ADD the diced jalapeños and the brine and blend with a wooden spoon until the jalapeños are evenly distributed. Using the back of the spoon, shape the butter into a ball and transfer to a sheet of plastic wrap.

3. WRAP the butter in the plastic wrap and shape it into a log. Refrigerate the wrapped log and chill at least 1 hour to harden. When ready to serve, remove from the refrigerator and slice into whatever size you need.
 
 
RECIPE # 2: QUICK-PICKLED JALAPEÑOS

This quick-pickling recipe is meant for short-term consumption and storing in the fridge. Do not use it to “put away” pickles. You may wish to cut the recipe in half if you won’t be using the pickled jalapeños for any other purpose (burgers, salads, jalapeño mayonnaise, etc.).

Ingredients

Top: Jalapeño butter (photo courtesy Gordy’s Pickle Jar). We minced our jalapeños finely for better distribution of flavor. Bottom: Different compound butter flavors (photo courtesy SheKnows.com).

1. SLICE the jalapenos and place in a jar (for compound butter, mince). Cover with white or white wine vinegar (alternative: use half vinegar and half salted water). Add your favorite spices to the brine.

2. ADD the jalapeños to the brine, making sure that the brine covers the jalapeños. Let sit overnight, although if you’re in a pinch, you can use them after an hour of marinating. They just won’t have a more complex flavor.
  

[2] Tex-Mex foods like fajitas are not authentic Mexican (photo courtesy Wild Oats), but Tex-Mex cuisine that originated in Texas.

[3] Elote, a Mexican street food, is grilled corn with grated cheese and other toppings. Here’s the recipe (photo ©y Good Eggs).

[4] Mexican oregano comes from the verbena family. This is from Savory Spice Shop (photo © Savory Spice Shop).

Chef Johnny Gnall’s mother is from Mexico, so he grew up eating the real deal: authentic Mexican cuisine. So today’s tip is: Cook something authentic for Cinco de Mayo. Here are two of Johnny’s favorite authentic Mexican recipes.

It’s easy to default to Tex-Mex favorites: most “Mexican” food North of the Rio Grande is Tex-Mex, a cuisine developed by Mexicans who moved to Texas (Tejanos). For example, beef, cheese-stuffed burritos, and wheat [white] flour are not common in Mexico. You won’t find chili con carne there; or chimichangas, for that matter.

Queso dips and fajitas were born in the U.S.A. Nachos were invented in 1943 on the Mexican side of the border, as a spur-of-the-moment solution to feed a group of Army wives from Texas who stopped at a restaurant when the kitchen was closed.

Anything with beef, black beans, Cheddar or other yellow cheese, cumin, wheat flour, black beans, and canned tomatoes is Tex-Mex, a term that first appeared in print in the 1940s. Tex-Mex was developed by Tejano restaurateurs using local ingredients to appeal to gringos (there’s plenty of beef in Texas). The fusion cuisine began to expand nationwide when food writers “discovered” it in the 1970s.

While cooking Mexican cuisine is often a multi-step process, there are some simple yet authentic dishes you can make. Also note: There is no single “Mexican cuisine.” As it is everywhere, different regions of any country have different specialties, based on local ingredients.
 

We start with a delicious, low-calorie first course: Ceiche Acapulqueño.

A recipe for Fish Veracruz Style, a main course, is below.
 
 
RECIPE #1: CEVICHE ACAPULQUEÑO

Ceviche can be found throughout Mexico (and the rest of Central and South America). Its origins lie along the country’s coastlines, where fresh fish was a staple. Recipes vary according to the local catch.

This recipe is a popular Pacific Coast ceviche. The distinguishing characteristic of Pacific ceviches is the use of tomato juice and, often, pickled chilies in the recipe. Eastern ceviches, from Mexico’s Gulf Coast, are less complex, using fresh chilies and foregoing the tomato juice.

You can serve ceviche as an appetizer, as a light entrée (especially at lunch), or a snack. Chef Johnny’s mother eats a big bowl for breakfast when vacationing in Acapulco.

Always buy the freshest fish you can find for ceviche.

Ingredients For 4 One-Cup Servings

1. PLACE the fish in a non-reactive mixing bowl and cover it with lime juice. Let the fish marinate for 3 hours. (This part of the process is curing—essentially, cooking—the fish).

2. ADD to the bowl: the onion, tomato, orange juice, half a cup of the tomato juice, 1 tablespoon of minced serranos, a few tablespoons of olive oil, a pinch or two of dried oregano, bay leaf, olives, cilantro, and a pinch of salt. Cover the bowl and let everything marinate overnight. The next day…

3. TASTE and adjust the seasonings to your preference. Garnish with avocado and serve with tortillas chips.

 
______________

*Mexican oregano is a different herb than Mediterranean/European oregano. It is in a different botanical family and has different flavor notes. Mediterranean oregano is sweeter, with anise notes. Mexican oregano is grassy, with citrus notes. That being said, you can substitute Mediterranean oregano; just use a little less of it. You can also substitute dried marjoram, which comes from the same botanical family as Mexican oregano and also has citrus notes. Dried lemon verbena is another option.
 

The Mexican state of Veracruz on the Gulf Coast is known for its fine cuisine. While recipes can be quite elaborate, this one is quick and easy.

This dish was adapted from a Spanish dish called Frita that uses chicken, not fish. The Veracruzeños substituted fish and also added the spicy chilies, as is typical when “Mexicanizing” a dish.

Ingredients

 
Serve With:

1. SEASON the filets by rubbing salt, pepper, and lime into the flesh; let sit fit for 15 minutes. The goal here is not to fully cook the fish as in ceviche, but rather to infuse it with a bit of flavor. While the fish is sitting…

2. CHOP half a white onion, the garlic, bell pepper, pickled jalapeños, and tomatoes. Sweat the onion, garlic, and peppers in a pot until soft; then add the tomatoes with as much of their liquid as possible. Add the olives, bring to a simmer and cook for ten minutes.

3. ADD the fish to a pot, covering the filets as best you can with the sauce. Cook, covered, for about 10 minutes, until the fish is done. Garnish and serve.
 
 

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