# How much cheddar cheese is used in Mexico & Italy? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 15, 2014, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cheddar-cheese-is-used-in-mexico-italy/688555 "2014-05-15T22:23:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cheddar-cheese-is-used-in-mexico-italy/688555/1 "2014-05-15T22:23:21Z")
When I see shredded-cheese blends in the supermarket, they invariably include cheddar. The Mexican blend has cotija and some other stuff, but with cheddar. The Italian blend has mozzarella, Parmesan, and probably Asiago, but also cheddar. I know cheddar is probably the single most-common cheese variety, at least in the West. And that it is probably a cheap choice just about anywhere in the hemisphere. But is it used in traditional local dishes in Mexico and Italy, when one has the money to use what you consider the ‘right’ cheeses? Or is my supermarket lying to me?☹ ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cheddar-cheese-is-used-in-mexico-italy/688555/2 "2014-05-15T22:28:54Z")
Cheddar cheese is not used at all in Italian cooking. You could probably find it in a specialty British foods shop, but that’s it. Otherwise, it is very hard to find in Italy, in my experience. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cheddar-cheese-is-used-in-mexico-italy/688555/3 "2014-05-15T22:35:35Z")
What brand are you seeing that includes cheddar in the Italian cheese blend? The typical mix is some combination of mozzarella, provolone, romano, asiago, parmesan, maybe fontina. I’ve never seen cheddar included, and wouldn’t buy any mix that had it. That’s just strange. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cheddar-cheese-is-used-in-mexico-italy/688555/4 "2014-05-15T22:36:27Z")
Your grocery store is weird. I’ve never seen cheddar in an Italian Cheese Blend. ---
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cheddar-cheese-is-used-in-mexico-italy/688555/5 "2014-05-15T22:38:51Z")
Here in the Yucatan peninsula, cheddar cheese is not used in dishes. One thing I miss is cheese here. Fortunately, there is a Costco a few hours from my pueblito, and I can buy a variety of cheeses. I don’t go often, but when I do, I buy a six months supply. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cheddar-cheese-is-used-in-mexico-italy/688555/6 "2014-05-15T22:39:24Z")
USA is a melting pot. in this case a fondue pot. ---
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cheddar-cheese-is-used-in-mexico-italy/688555/7 "2014-05-15T22:42:21Z")
As I suspected. I didn’t mean to imply that all blends are like that. There are certainly some that only have traditional cheeses included. But the blends that seem to be intended for tacos or pizza do usually have cheddar. In other words, I should not have used the word ‘invariably.’ ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cheddar-cheese-is-used-in-mexico-italy/688555/8 "2014-05-15T22:45:19Z")
Cheddar is commonly found in Americanized Mexican dishes, and promoted at the groceries. The grocery blends are just lightly seasoned versions of inexpensive cheese like cheddar. I’ve occasionally seen Italian dishes such as polenta made by Italian-Americans with cheddar, but I don’t know if it is ever used in Italy. There’s nothing wrong with using any cheese you like or find readily available in any dish, but if you’re looking for authentic Mexican or Italian cheddar isn’t the way to go. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cheddar-cheese-is-used-in-mexico-italy/688555/9 "2014-05-16T00:23:20Z")
> [@Saltire](#): > > I know cheddar is probably the single most-common cheese variety Well, we don’t get much call for it around here. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cheddar-cheese-is-used-in-mexico-italy/688555/10 "2014-05-16T00:33:30Z")
Cheese blends are not the ultimate foodie choice. There’s an additive to keep them from clumping. Still, they’re really convenient & most of us aren’t full-time foodies. I’ve never seen an Italian blend including cheddar. Most “Mexican” blends will be used for Tex-Mex style dishes in the USA–so cheddar is suitable. (Velveeta is more traditional for _some_ Tex-Mex dishes!) [This article](http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2011/07/25/monday-mission-shred-your-own-cheese/) recommends shredding freezer-chilled cheese in a food processor, then storing it in the freezer. It _is_ cheaper than buying it bagged & you’d avoid grabbing that chunk from the refrigerator & discovering mold. Worth trying–& Houston grocery stores offer plenty of Mexican style cheeses… ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cheddar-cheese-is-used-in-mexico-italy/688555/11 "2014-05-16T00:56:17Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > I’ve never seen an Italian blend including cheddar. Most “Mexican” blends will be used for Tex-Mex style dishes in the USA–so cheddar is suitable. (Velveeta is more traditional for _some_ Tex-Mex dishes!) Same here. Mexican blends, yeah, I’ve seen cheddar. Italian blends, nope. Kraft’s, for instance, is provolone, mozzarella, asiago, romano, and parmesan. I’d like to echo the question to the OP: What brand is it that has cheddar in the Italian blend? ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cheddar-cheese-is-used-in-mexico-italy/688555/12 "2014-05-16T08:47:39Z")
> [@Saltire](#): > > I know cheddar is probably the single most-common cheese variety, at least in the West. I think that depends on your definition of “the West”. The west of the US? Sure. the US and Brittain? Sure. Anywhere outside of English speaking countries? Possibly, but I’d be surprised if it was anything but a small minority of such countries. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cheddar-cheese-is-used-in-mexico-italy/688555/13 "2014-05-16T09:25:53Z")
Where we in the Anglosphere might use cheddar, Italians would probably use pecorino or parmesan as their ‘generic/universal’ cheese. Italians struggle with the idea of using a cheese from a different Italian region, let alone another country. And what’s this ‘cheese blend’ thing you are all talking about? Sounds hideous. What’s wrong with buying a block and grating it fresh? ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cheddar-cheese-is-used-in-mexico-italy/688555/14 "2014-05-16T09:44:08Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > Where we in the Anglosphere might use cheddar, Italians would probably use pecorino or parmesan as their ‘generic/universal’ cheese. I think it depends on where you are - in the Veneto, _asiago_ would be the generic cheese, in Sardinia it might be _pecorino_. Like you said, they’re much more regional than us (IM limited E) ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cheddar-cheese-is-used-in-mexico-italy/688555/15 "2014-05-16T09:52:49Z")
> [@Saltire](#): > > I know cheddar is probably the single most-common cheese variety, at least in the West. And that it is probably a cheap choice just about anywhere in the hemisphere. ( Just one data point from Germany: that’s not the case here. Our “generic” cheese is Gouda or maybe Edam as an alternative. Cheddar is rarely used (I never had it and I’m not sure if a typical supermarket would carry it). ---
**Author:** ![Watthour](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/85f322/32.png) [@Watthour](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Watthour)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cheddar-cheese-is-used-in-mexico-italy/688555/16 "2014-05-16T10:16:44Z")
Just a quick check, but we all know that true cheddar is white, not orange, right? Thus, differentiating it inside a pouch of other “variety cheeses” laced with paraffin might be difficult for the casual diner. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cheddar-cheese-is-used-in-mexico-italy/688555/17 "2014-05-16T11:07:56Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Just one data point from Germany: that’s not the case here. Our “generic” cheese is Gouda or maybe Edam as an alternative. In South Africa, it’s a tossup between Gouda and Cheddar ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cheddar-cheese-is-used-in-mexico-italy/688555/18 "2014-05-16T11:11:08Z")
> [@Watthour](#): > > Just a quick check, but we all know that true cheddar is white, not orange, right? I’d say pale, buttery yellow, actually. And Cheddar’s been coloured with annato since the mid 1800s, that ship has sailed. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cheddar-cheese-is-used-in-mexico-italy/688555/19 "2014-05-16T11:22:22Z")
> [@Watthour](#): > > Just a quick check, but we all know that true cheddar is white, not orange, right? Thus, differentiating it inside a pouch of other “variety cheeses” laced with paraffin might be difficult for the casual diner. No, cheddar isn’t white. Are you confusing is with cheshire? ---
**Author:** ![kellner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c2a13f/32.png) [@kellner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kellner)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cheddar-cheese-is-used-in-mexico-italy/688555/20 "2014-05-16T11:25:16Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Just one data point from Germany: that’s not the case here. Our “generic” cheese is Gouda or maybe Edam as an alternative. Cheddar is rarely used (I never had it and I’m not sure if a typical supermarket would carry it). I’d expect a supermarket with a decent-sized deli cheese counter to have about one variety of Cheddar. There is also a brand of packaged cheddar that has become more common in recent years. Still, I would be very surprised to see a store where Cheddar accounts for a full percent of cheese sales. That’s a shame because I quite like it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-cheddar-cheese-is-used-in-mexico-italy/688555.md?page=2)