Tonight, I decided to learn more about quesadillas for A to cook. My pre-prep involved calling up my good friend Arturo Vega, the artistic director for the Ramones (Isn't his Ramones logo cool? I bet you own one of his shirts, too). His hospitality often includes quesadilla-making at his loft on Joey Ramone Place.
[Ring, Ring]
Me: Hi. We're making quesadillas.
AV: [laughs, because he knows he's responsible for our obsession] Oh yeah?
Me: Yes. I need your help. What is the most preferred cheese in Mexico used for quesadillas?
AV: You can use anything. I've used parmesan [laughs], Monterey Jack, even gorgonzola.
Me: Uh-huh. But what would you use if you were in Mexico?
AV: You can use anything.
Me: How about a normal Mexican? Shopping in a normal Mexican grocery store? What would he or she look for?
AV: Oh. You should try queso de Oaxaca.
The result -
(Top) The traditional quesadilla: made with blue corn tortilla, filled with queso de hebra de Oaxaca (sounds like Hebrews in Oaxaca, I know) and cilantro, topped with salt and salsa casera.
(Bottom) The New World quesadilla: made with a gorda white corn tortilla, filled with organic sauteed shallots and gorgonzola, topped with salt and apple/corn/chile salsa.
A preferred the traditional quesadilla.
2 comments:
Where did you get the Mexican cheese? I asked at Zabar's and they said they had never heard of it.
Ah, well, that is where we have to go beyond the Upper West Sidelandia and take the 1 (9 is now dead) further uptown until we see many people who might eat the queso de Oaxaca, or go to Brooklyn, or go to Queens and ask for the queso de Oaxaca. I'll ask Arturo if he knows anywhere closer to you and post the reply here.
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