Food Review: Queso de Freir

Our local supermarket, Key Foods, stocks a full supply of cheeses from a company called Tropical Cheese. They seemingly cater to the Latino market, promising would-be purchasers "authentic Latino flavor." For years now, I have been intrigued by a product called "queso de freir" which literally translates to "cheese for frying" or colloquially, "this is not health food, but damn it's good!" It wasn't until yesterday that I purchased a brick of this mystery cheese.

I don't throw such statements around wantonly, but queso de freir has to be one of the best things I have ever tasted.  Ever, ever.  The best way I can describe this product is "legal crack cocaine."  The package promises that it will fry to a consistent golden brown without breading.  And boy is there truth in advertising in this case.  The outer crust of the cheese takes on a pleasing golden brown hue when lightly fried in oil.  The cheese itself has a pleasantly salty taste once you get past the fried outer part.  It has a neat squeaky consistency to it as you chew.

Eating queso de freir reminds me somewhat of Squeakers, a cheese curd product sold by Hilmar Dairy of Himlar, California.  Squeakers are so called because they squeak when you eat them.  They also have a really good, salty taste.  It's a pretty fun experience, but they don't sell them here in New York.

I cannot emphasize enough how good this cheese is.  I have a feeling I will become a loyal customer of Tropical Cheese company.  For $4 for a brick, go out and buy some queso de freir.  Seriously.  Go do it, now!  And bring me back some while you're at it.