Mexican cheeses fall into three categories. Most are soft, fresh and bland, resembling Ricotta in different degrees of firmness. Others are salty, pressed and very firm to dry. A few are meltable or stretchy string cheeses.
"Queso Duro Seco Oaxaqueno" simply means "dry hard cheese in the style of Oaxaca." The brand I found at Aihua is made by Marquez Brothers in San Jose, Calif. Other quesos duros can be found at local international and Hispanic markets, and at larger groceries, from Central America, especially El Salvador. Despite the name, it is not as dry or as hard as some Mexican cheeses, such as Cotija, which often is said to resemble Parmesan. (Don't bite on that. It does not.)
Queso duro seco is an "anejo," or aged cheese. It has a texture reminiscent of the firmer fresh cheeses, but a little firmer yet — it is solid and heavy and slightly rubbery, easy to slice, easily crumbled in your fingers. It has more salt than the fresh cheeses and has been pressed into a small barrel shape to remove more liquid. The outside is then rubbed with a paste of paprika and red pepper to keep mold from growing during storage. The taste of this cheese is salty and very "milky."
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