Oaxaca Cheese

Oaxaca cheese is a semi-soft, white, stretched-curd cow's milk cheese shaped into wound ribbons or a ball. It has a clean, milky aroma and a mild, slightly salty taste, pulling into long elastic strands when melted; it melts smoothly for quesadillas, tlayudas, and baked dishes, and is sold in balls or braided ropes.\n\nDeveloped in Oaxaca, Mexico, it uses a pasta filata process similar to mozzarella, with hot whey used to stretch the curd. It is now common across Mexican and Central American cuisines. Traditional versions use animal rennet, though some producers use microbial rennet.