Monday, October 20, 2008

snow white was a whinger


I suspect that every part of the world that experiences a spectacular fall can point to a very narrow time frame when the days are clear and the trees are ablaze.


We are there, right now, in my little town on the edge of the Pacific.


Saturday and Sunday were fall-perfect. Not a cloud in the sky, and plant colors so bold that Joseph would look in vain for a coat match.


The dog and I spent the afternoons wandering around. I took my camera in the hope of memorializing this last fall in Oregon. But Professor Jiggs is not the best artistic partner. We cannot wander far or tarry long. The aged dog will have his way. But I did get a few photographs I may share later this week.


Instead of coming home and taking a nap (as I slip into my siesta understudy role), I sat down with a book on Mexico and indulged in one of my guilty pleasures of October.


This is honeycrisp season. My favorite apple. Sweet. Tart. Firm. Everything a good apple should be.


And, even though, they are a full dessert eaten raw, I always need to tart them up. I add a slice of pepperoni and a slice of a good-quality blue cheese (Stilton being my favorite).


Blue cheese got me to thinking. I cannot recall seeing any indigenous blue cheese while I was in Mexico. Of course, markets carry the same type of imported blues you can buy throughout the world. But is there a Mexican national blue cheese?


I could probably google and get an answer. But there are blog writers in the column to the right who will know this answer before I can type Cheetos Torciditos.





10 comments:

Michael Dickson said...

Nope. Or if there is, it´s in some other part of Mexico, but I doubt it. Mexicans prefer their cheese pretty tasteless.

Occasionally, my wife will ooh and ahh over some cheese, so I taste it and it´s like a blond or white tire.

Anonymous said...

Hola Steve,

While I can't give you a definitive answer on Mexican blue cheeses, my personal experience suggests that in general, Mexican cheeses tend toward the extremely boring. Mostly white and bland.

That said, Superama is a relatively upscale Mexican grocery chain (owned by Wal-Mart) that stocks a wide variety of imported cheeses including Blue. Actually, Chedraui will also have a nice selection.

Bon appetit

Kim G
Boston, MA
Where fall has also fallen, with a burst of fabulous color

1st Mate said...

Steve - better bring your blue cheese with you, if you can. Although there's a Brit deli owner in Malaque who might be able to get it for you; have you met Penny?

Steve Cotton said...

Michael -- That has been my experience with Mexican cheese. It is serviceable as a topping. But there is very little taste -- to me.

Kim -- It appears shopping I will go amongst the big stores.

Bliss -- I missed meeting Penny on my last trip down. Her deli was apparently closed at the height of the hot season.

Frankly Ronda said...

I admit I love the Mexican Cheeses wrapped in a homemade tortilla with fresh salsa.

Steve Cotton said...

American Mommy -- Mexican cheese appears to be designed for cooking. Eating on its own -- not so much.

Calypso said...

I agree with all of the above for here in the Xalapa area - yes Superama has blue cheese.

Aksi love the bland white Mexican cheese in a folded tortilla with a good dollop of chili seco to liven things up ;-)

Oooops there's a C word Chili Seco
Sorry Steve but you will be eliminating a lot of the Mexican cuisine by avoiding food staring with a C; come to think of it C-uisine... (LOL)

Steve Cotton said...

John -- I suspect that the Cs may slip back in in Spanish.

Glenn said...

Steve--I moved to Mexico many years ago thinking that there was no cheese in all of Mexico. A friend gave me a nice assortment of cheeses to take with me...including blue cheese. My supply of cheese eventually ran out but I learned to like quesadillas and sometimes queso cotijo with frijoles. Sometimes you get lucky...several years ago there was a Swiss woman in Erongaricuaro (on Lake Patzcuaro) that sold a good provolone.

Steve Cotton said...

Glenn -- I have had some Mexican cheese that is very good for using on and in foods. But I have not been able to find any what I call "nibbling" cheeses. I will keep my eye peeled for artisan cheeses. I know a lot of goat cheese is made in small quantities. I wonder why no one has tried developing a blue mold to meld with one of those cheese? Maybe that can be a new project for me.