Añejo cheese vs Criollo cheese
Añejo cheese
Facts
- Texture
- Hard
- Type
- Pressed
- Rind
- No rind
- Country
- Mexico
Añejo cheese is a firm aged cheese from Mexico. The Spanish name means aged, and it marks a fresh curd that has been kept until it dries. The paste is pale, salty, and crumbly while it is still losing moisture, then harder and easier to grate once it dries further. Many pieces are rolled in paprika or chile, which turns the outside red or orange. The interior stays white.
Criollo cheese
Facts
- Milk
- Cow
- Texture
- Hard
- Type
- Pressed
- Country
- Mexico
Criollo cheese is a yellow cow's milk cheese from Mexico, and it stands out because many Mexican cheeses are white. Makers use raw milk, and the finished paste is pale gold rather than bright white. A young piece is firm, mild, and salty. With age the flavor deepens, and the texture can become very hard. Cooks know it as a grating cheese, also sold as queso criollo or criolla.