Quesadillas with cheese or without cheese... that's the dilemma!

Hello, friends and lovers of Mexican gastronomy and culture!
It seems that quesadillas are one of the most debated topics when it comes to Mexican food, so in this blog we will clarify the dilemma of whether quesadillas go with or without cheese?

For most Mexicans living in the interior of the Mexican Republic it is inconceivable to think that a quesadilla does not have cheese!!!! However, at any stand in Mexico City, when ordering your quesadillas, you will always be asked if your quesadillas are with cheese or without cheese.

Let's first talk about the origin of the word. Quesadilla, in Spanish, comes from the Asturian "casiadella", a sweet nutty pastry made with puff pastry dough and cheese. It is said that when the Spaniards arrived to the New Continent they elaborated this recipe, but they used Mexican corn instead of wheat.

Over the years, it is reported that quesadillas became very popular during the time of the revolution, due to the fact that it was a simple food to prepare. In many cases, quesadillas were tortillas made the day before with some mature cheese that did not need refrigeration, which is why they were valued by Zapatistas and Villistas.

Throughout the history of New Spain and Mexico it is reported that in the center of the country corn tortillas filled with different stews were used to make quesadillas, while in the rest of the Mexican territory, in addition to the stews, cheese was used, specifically a cheese that melted on the griddle such as Oaxaca cheese or semi-mature Manchego cheese.

The first document where quesadillas are mentioned was the oldest recipe book in Mexico, "El Nuevo Cocinero Mexicano", published in 1888 and where it is written that "the cheese in the quesadilla is to the taste of the person who eats it".

Currently, the Diccionario de Español del Colegio de México defines quesadillas as: "tortillas, either of nixtamalized corn or wheat flour, which are folded in half, and are filled with different ingredients or stews such as: cheese, nopales, potato, chorizo, picadillo, chicharrón, zuchinni flower, huitlacoche, among others, and can be cooked on a comal or fried".

On the other hand, the Larousse Dictionary of Cuisine tells us that quesadillas are "Mexican snacks where nixtamalized corn or wheat flour tortillas are folded in half and may have melted cheese or some other stew as filling... and are cooked on a comal or fried".

A very interesting fact is that, due to the cultural settlements in the north of the country, northerners prefer to eat flour tortillas and therefore make their quesadillas with these tortillas; while in the rest of the republic we make them with corn tortillas.

So, to end this dilemma...
In the beginning quesadillas did have cheese in them, however, as time went by, the use of cheese in quesadillas became optional.
But let's not fight... with or without cheese , aren't quesadillas delicious!

Here are some tips to make sure all your quesadillas are always delicious!

• Prepare your casseroles and side dishes, season them and have them warm and ready to use.
• If you are going to make tortillas with nixtamalized corn flour, remember to follow the instructions on the package and cover your dough with a damp cloth while working so that the dough doesn't dry out.
• Finely shredd the Oaxaca cheese, or the cheese of your choice, and melt it on top of the tortilla in the comal on high heat.
• Don't take the quesadillas off the griddle too soon... there's nothing more delicious than a quesadilla that's browned on the outside, so give it time to brown on both sides.
• Wait for the cheese to start to spread, I love it when the cheese gets a little cripsy in the quesadilla's!
• Don't be afraid to eat some fried quesadillas! They're not the healthiest food, but they're worth a try.
• Finally, accompany your quesadillas with a delicious salsa or some chiles  chicharroncitos, they are delicious and give the quesadillas an unbeatable crunch!

Don't forget to let us know if the quesadillas for you go with or without cheese? and we invite you to stop by our food and beverage sections, where you can find thousands of ideas to make your traditional Mexican food casseroles and make delicious quesadillas.