Exploring Colombia's Cheese Specialties: A Cultural Adventure

Colombia is home to a wide variety of cheeses, with more than 12 types produced across the country. The nation's love for cheese is such that it is eaten at nearly every meal, and it is even melted into coffee and hot chocolate. Colombian cheese can be classified into three categories: non-acid fresh cheeses, acid fresh cheeses, and mature cheeses.

Some of the most popular Colombian cheeses include the mozzarella-like queso blanco, milky and aromatic quesillo, salty and stringy queso momposino, and nutty and semi-firm queso paipa. Colombians also enjoy melting cheese into snacks like arepas and baked goods.

Colombian cheese types and their characteristics

Colombia produces more than 12 types of cheese, which can be classified into three categories: non-acid fresh cheeses, acid fresh cheeses, and mature cheeses. Here is a list of some of the most popular Colombian cheeses and their characteristics:

Costeño Cheese

Costeño cheese is a non-acid fresh cheese with a hard consistency and a soft, salty interior. It is a traditional cheese from the Colombian coast, dating back to the colonial era. It is a key ingredient in the culinary culture and diet of the coastal people, particularly in major Caribbean cities like Cartagena, Santa Marta, and Barranquilla. It is often used in dishes such as Arepas de Queso Costeño (arepas being a typical Colombian food with hundreds of variations), Bollos de Yuca con Queso Costeño (a type of bun made with cassava dough), and Aborrajados de Plátano Maduro con Queso Costeño (ripe plantain snacks filled with Costeño cheese). It is also added to soups, rice, beans, and street food.

Campesino Cheese

Campesino cheese is a non-acid fresh white cheese with a soft and moist texture. It has a slightly neutral taste with a touch of acidity. It is ideal for grating or cutting into pieces and melts well when heated. It is the most representative cheese in Colombia and has its roots in the colonization period when the Spanish brought dairy animals to rural areas. It is commonly used in Almojábanas (cheese rolls made with corn flour and Campesino Cheese) and Pandebono (a roll made with cassava starch, Campesino Cheese, and eggs). It is also popular for filling arepas.

Paipa Cheese

Paipa cheese is a mature cheese with a waxed rind and a semi-hard, yellowish, and pale texture. It has a slightly acidic, bitter, and salty flavour with a strong, rancid aroma. It is versatile and can be sliced thinly or grated, making it suitable for use in pastas, pizzas, lasagnas, and salads. It is also paired with regional wines, added to desserts, or fried with ripe plantain. Paipa cheese has a "designation of origin", meaning it is certified to be manufactured only in the municipalities of Paipa and Sotaquirá.

Cuajada Cheese

Cuajada cheese is a non-acid fresh cheese with a very soft texture and a distinctive milky aroma. It has a very mild taste, similar to fresh cow's milk. It is commonly combined with typical Colombian desserts or sweet ingredients, such as Arepa de Choclo (sweet yellow arepas made with corn starch and Cuajada cheese) and Cuajada cake (a cake made from Cuajada, wheat flour, and eggs). It is also paired with "melao" (a syrup made from sugarcane juice) or honey.

Pera Cheese

Pera cheese is an acid-fresh cheese with a semi-soft, rubbery, and elastic texture. It has a mild and pleasant taste with a characteristic aroma of milk and slight acidity. It is usually consumed fresh and uncooked, such as on bread or crackers, or combined with fruits or ham. It is a popular snack during December, served with guava sweet. It can also be used in risotto preparations.

Doble Cream Cheese

Doble Cream Cheese is an acid-fresh cheese with a high cream concentration, giving it an extremely creamy texture and a smooth surface. It has a mild taste with a salty flavour and a flexible texture that makes it easy to grate. It is commonly used in pizzas, lasagnas, hamburgers, and Aborrajados (ripe plantains filled with cheese and fried).

Quesillo de Hoja

Quesillo de Hoja is an acid-fresh cheese that is traditionally wrapped in banana or bijao leaves, which are common in the Andean region. The leaves give the cheese a natural, herb-like flavour and help keep it fresh. Quesillo has a mild, semi-acidic taste and a chewy texture, making it suitable for melting. It is often mixed with bocadillo (guava sweet paste) or used in cakes and cheesecakes.

How to make Colombian cheese

Colombian cheese, or Quesito Colombiano, is a popular dish in Colombia. It is a simple cheese to make at home, requiring only a few ingredients and a few hours.

Ingredients:

You will need the following ingredients to make Colombian cheese:

• 1 gallon of whole milk
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup of an acidic ingredient such as lemon juice or white vinegar (2 tablespoons of lemon juice is enough to make the milk curdle)
• Salt to taste
• Banana leaves or moulds for wrapping (optional)

Method:

• Pour the milk into a large pot and heat it over medium heat. Stir continuously to prevent the milk from burning or forming a skin. Heat the milk to around 120 degrees Fahrenheit or until you can no longer stand the heat of it.
• Remove the milk from the heat and add the acidic ingredient. Stir well with a spoon and then let the mixture sit at room temperature for around 20 minutes to allow the solids to separate from the whey. You can add more acid if needed.
• Line a strainer with a cheesecloth and place it over a large bowl. Pour the curdled milk mixture into the cheesecloth and let it drain for about 30 minutes.
• Squeeze out the excess liquid from the curds by wrapping them in the cheesecloth. You can also add salt to taste at this stage and mix well.
• Hang the cheese in the cheesecloth for about 30 minutes to allow any remaining liquid to drain out.
• Place the cheese in a mould or wrap it in banana leaves. You can also simply place it in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to two days.

Tips:

• Colombian cheese is best served on top of arepas, a traditional Colombian dish.
• The whey that is left over from the cheese-making process can be used in fruit smoothies or soups as it is high in protein.
• If you want to make a more authentic version of Colombian cheese, you can use cuajo or rennet tablets instead of vinegar.
• If you want to add more salt to your cheese, keep in mind that the higher the salt content, the harder, firmer, drier, and heavier the cheese will be.

Colombian dishes that use cheese

Colombia produces over 12 types of cheese, which are classified into three categories: non-acid fresh cheeses, acid fresh cheeses, and mature cheeses. Here are some Colombian dishes that use cheese:

Arepas

Arepas are a typical Colombian food with hundreds of variations. In the Caribbean region, they include queso costeño in the dough preparation. Arepas de queso costeño are a popular dish from the coast of Colombia, including major cities such as Cartagena, Santa Marta, and Barranquilla.

Bollos de Yuca con Queso Costeño

Bollos are a type of bun made with cassava dough, and queso costeño is added to the dough for flavour.

Aborrajados de Plátano Maduro con Queso Costeño

Aborrajados are fried snacks made with ripe plantains filled with queso costeño, coated in egg and flour batter. They are very popular in the Caribbean and Valle del Cauca regions of Colombia.

Suero Costeño

Suero Costeño is a fermented sour cream, typical of the Caribbean coast of Colombia. It is used in many dishes such as soups, rice, beans, and street food.

Buñuelos

Buñuelos are fried flour balls, very typical at Christmas. Queso costeño enhances the salty flavour of the dough.

Almojábanas

Almojábanas are cheese rolls made with corn flour and campesino cheese, a non-acid fresh white cheese with a soft and moist texture. They are very popular in Colombia.

Pandebono

Pandebono is a roll made with cassava starch, campesino cheese, and eggs. It is a very popular snack in Colombia.

Arepas

Campesino cheese is very popular in Colombia for filling both corn and "peto" arepas, providing a soft and creamy texture.

Beef Tenderloin Medallions with Sauce

Tender meat with a creamy sauce made from Paipa cheese, a mature cheese with a distinctive appearance and a semi-hard texture.

Aborrajado de Plátano

Aborrajado de plátano is a mix of ripe plantain filled with Paipa cheese, fried until golden.

Arequipe and Brevas

Arequipe and brevas is a traditional dessert made with dulce de leche added to breva, a typical fruit. Paipa cheese is a popular combination for this dessert.

Arepa de Choclo

Arepa de choclo is a sweet yellow arepa made with tender cornstarch, mixed with cuajada cheese, a very mild non-acid fresh cheese.

Cuajada Cake

Cuajada cake is made from cuajada cheese, wheat flour, and eggs. It is baked until golden and served cold.

Cuajada with "Melao"

Cuajada with "melao" is a typical dessert that combines cuajada cheese with "melao," a syrup made from sugarcane juice. It is also combined with honey, blackberry jam, or dulce de leche.

Salchipapa

Salchipapa is a local dish of sausage, French fries, and a layer of double cream cheese on top. Double cream cheese is a local favourite, produced in the Cundiboyacense highlands.

Cheese Fingers

Cheese fingers are cheese sticks wrapped in dough, fried until golden, and crispy. The cheese can be stretched when melted.

Gratin Chicken Breast

Gratin chicken breast is a well-known national dish of Colombia, featuring a layer of double cream cheese and mushroom sauce.

Aborrajados

Aborrajados are ripe plantains filled with double cream cheese, fried until golden, and the cheese is completely melted.

Arepas with Queso Fresco

Arepas with queso fresco are a popular way to serve this easy-to-make fresh cheese in Colombia.

Buñuelos

Buñuelos (cheese fritters) are another popular Colombian dish that uses queso fresco.

Pandebonos

Pandebonos (cheese bread) are made with queso fresco and are very popular in Colombia.

Colombian cheese and its global recognition

Cheese arrived in Colombia in 1492, when Christopher Columbus and his crew brought a typical Mediterranean diet, including a variety of cheeses, on their first voyage. Since then, Colombia has developed a national mania for cheese, with over 12 types of cheeses produced and consumed at nearly every meal. While much cheesemaking in the country remains informal, with about half of Colombian raw milk transformed and sold locally in small villages, Colombia is proving itself as a cheesemaking hotspot, with several award-winning exports.

Types of Colombian Cheese

Colombian cheeses can be classified into three categories: non-acid fresh cheeses, acid fresh cheeses, and mature cheeses. Non-acid fresh cheeses, such as campesino cheese, have a smooth texture and lack maturation, while acid fresh cheeses, like pera cheese, require a more elaborate preparation. Mature cheeses, such as Paipa cheese, have an extensive maturation period, allowing them to be exposed without packaging and lasting for weeks or months without losing their characteristics.

Global Recognition

While Colombian cheese may not be the most well-known or highly regarded globally, it has started to gain recognition beyond its borders. Buf Creamery, for example, is the first company to make and export mozzarella di bufala from Colombia to Chile and the United States. Their success is attributed to Colombians' affinity for fresh cheeses, which account for the majority of Colombian cheese production. Each region in Colombia specializes in its own style of pasta filata cheese, as well as pressed cheeses made with varying amounts of salt.

In addition to mozzarella-like offerings, Colombia also produces cheeses with unique characteristics, such as the salty, string-textured queso momposino and the nutty, semi-firm queso paipa. These cheeses are not only enjoyed by locals but are also gaining traction among travellers who visit agriturismos located on dairy farms or purchase cheese directly from roadside stands.

Culinary Uses

Colombian cheese is often eaten with guava paste, hot chocolate, fruit salad, or even hot dogs and sandwiches. It is commonly melted into coffee and hot chocolate, consumed as a snack or dessert, melted atop sweet and savoury dishes, and stuffed into snacks like arepas and baked goods. Colombian cheese is also used in traditional dishes such as Pan de Bono, buñuelos, carimañolas, and arepas de queso costeño.

Colombian cheese and its pairing with other foods/drinks

Colombia produces more than 12 types of cheese, and its citizens are incredibly passionate about the dairy product. In fact, it's eaten at nearly every meal, and is often melted into coffee and hot chocolate. Colombian cheese is usually classified into three categories: non-acid fresh cheeses, acid fresh cheeses, and mature cheeses.

Non-Acid Fresh Cheeses

Non-acid fresh cheeses are generally smooth in texture, and they don't require maturation. They can be pressed or unpressed, and kneaded or ground. Examples include:

• Queso Campesino: This is the most representative cheese in Colombia and has its roots in the Spanish colonisation of the country. It's a non-acid fresh white cheese with a soft and moist texture. It has a slightly neutral taste with a touch of acidity. It's ideal for grating and melting.
• Queso Costeño: This is a non-acid fresh cheese with a hard consistency and a soft, salty interior. It's often used in dishes that don't require additional salt. It's a key ingredient in many typical coastal dishes, including arepas, bollos (a type of bun made with cassava dough), and buñuelos (fried dough balls).
• Queso Doble Crema: This is an acid-fresh cheese with a high cream concentration, giving it an extremely creamy texture. It's very popular among Colombians and is ideal for melting.

Acid Fresh Cheeses

Acid fresh cheeses require a more elaborate preparation than non-acid fresh cheeses. An example is:

Queso Pera: This is an acid-fresh cheese with no rind or shell. It has a semi-soft, rubbery, and elastic texture, and a mild and pleasant taste. It's usually consumed fresh and uncooked, such as on bread or crackers, or combined with fruits or ham.

Mature Cheeses

Mature cheeses have an extensive maturation period, allowing them to be exposed without packaging. They can last for weeks or months without losing their characteristics. An example is:

Queso Paipa: This is a mature, semi-hard cheese with a yellowish and pale colour, and a bitter and salty finish. It's versatile and can be sliced thinly or grated. It pairs well with red wine.

Pairing Colombian Cheeses with Other Foods/Drinks

Although Colombian cheese is often eaten with other foods, such as arepas, buñuelos, and carimañolas, it can also be paired with various drinks. Here are some suggestions:

• Queso Paipa: This cheese pairs well with red wine, such as Carmenere.
• Queso Costeño: This salty cheese goes well with a "lager" type beer, such as Club Colombia Dorada, which contrasts with its saltiness.
• Queso Doble Crema: This creamy-textured cheese can be paired with white or dry wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc, and nuts.
• Queso Pera: This cheese is best paired with full-bodied, dry wines with slightly fruity flavours, like Chardonnay.
• Queso Campesino: This cheese can be paired with Colombian coffee, preferably a premium coffee with a mild flavour, good acidity, and 90% arabica.
• Queso Cuajada: This mild cheese can be paired with anise-flavoured drinks, such as aguardiente. The freshness of anise mixes well with the slightly acidic taste of the cheese.
• Quesillo de Hoja: This is a traditional pairing with a cup of hot chocolate. The chewy texture of the cheese allows it to melt and stretch easily in the hot beverage.
• Various Cheeses: In Bogota, cafes serve hot chocolate with cheese. The cheese is crumbled, placed on a metal spoon, submerged in the hot chocolate, and then slurped. Mozzarella or queso doble crema are commonly used for this unusual drink, known as "chocolate santafereño".

Frequently asked questions