It's time I revisited my favorite food--cheese. Which is, of course, a very common food type around the world. Except, I suppose, in areas where lactose intolerance is the norm, such as South America (especially Southern South America), Africa (especially Sub Saharan areas), and Southern Asia (particularly in the Southeastern parts). Anyway, I found this cheese in my local Shop Rite supermarket. It's a traditional Mexican cheese called cotija.
The history of cotija is pretty vague. The name is from a town in the state of Michoacan. However, its inception date, and the inventor's name(s) I couldn't discover. Cheese wasn't produced in Mexico until after the Spanish arrived, with their cows, sheep, and goats, and long years of cheese making techniques, so at its oldest cotija is still less than 500 years old.
Cotija is a hard cheese. Young versions are often compared to Greek feta cheese in texture, and aged versions are dry and crumbly, similar to the Italian Parmigiano Riggiano (aka Parmesan). In fact, cotija is sometimes referred to as the "Parmesan of Mexico." Cotija is intensely salty, in part to help preserve it in Mexico's usually hot climate. Traditionally it's made from raw cow's milk, and aged 3-12 months. Some commercialized variants add an enzyme to speed up the process, which also affects the flavor slightly. The traditional kind is also called the "cheese of the mountains," as the cows are fed mountain grass, and the cheese itself is often made in higher elevations. One of cotija's most distinctive attributes is its resistance to heat--unlike most cheeses, it doesn't melt when cooked, it only softens slightly. Therefore, it's often grated upon soups, pastas, and salads, or stuffed into tacos and enchiladas.
Typically I'd now tell you some brief information about the manufacturer, which in this case is Que Gusto. Alas, I'm unable to provide much, due to the terseness of the official company website, and lack of other online data. The company website only lists the other cheese it makes (fresco, Oaxaca, and blanco), and some recipes. It doesn't even list a location! Moving on, the distribution company, J.V.M. Sales Corp., out of New Jersey in the U.S., is similarly mysterious. It's been around since 1983, and specializes in imported cheeses, which are said to come from Italy. I assume that the cotija cheese is an exception, since producing a traditional Mexican cheese in Italy, and then bringing it back to the U.S., seems extremely convoluted and weird, instead of buying it from Mexican cheese mongers, or at least Mexican-American dairy farmers in the U.S. But who knows?
Que Gusto! cotija: Came in a 283 gram/10 ounce package. Color was whitish. Odor was similar to Parmesan. Had a hard, crumbly texture. I had it plain, and on crackers. The flavor was pleasantly sourish and tangy, with a good amount of salt. It was very good. And the nickname is correct--it did taste a lot like Parmesan, which is a compliment. I definitely recommend cotija, as it's a more than respectable cheese.
In closing, I'll briefly discuss some other traditional Mexican cheeses. Oaxaca is a version of string cheese. Fresco is a semi-soft, farmer's cheese. Chihuahua is a soft white cheese available in braids or balls, and is connected with Mexican Mennonites. Panela cheese is made from skim milk, so it's very low in fat and cholesterol. Mexico also makes a loose cheese similar in texture to cottage cheese or ricotta, called requesan. Finally, back on August 29, 2015 I discussed a Spanish cheese, Manchego. Mexico makes a variant of this, too, using cow or goat's milk instead of the traditional sheep's milk.
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