Question & Answer

July/August 2007

1) How long can I keep my Queso?
At Land O’Lakes, we recommend holding our Queso for no more than four hours over steam heat.  You’ll find that LAND O LAKES® Extra® Melt Pasteurized Process cheese holds up well over heat for that amount of time.

2) What ingredients could I add to create a customized Queso?
To create a custom Queso that compliments your entrees or appetizers, we recommend that you look to your menu for inspiration first.  You’ll find an ingredient set that will allow you to add a true custom dish to your menu.  An advantage of this approach is that you don’t need to look for new ingredients, because you’ve already got them on hand. 

Custom Quesos don’t always require long lists of ingredients.  For example, by simply adding granulated garlic, fennel seed and oregano, you can blend a basic Queso to fit an Italian restaurant concept.  From there, you can always increase the complexity of the flavor by adding cooked meats and/or vegetables.

For a quick, delicious Queso, try Queso Bravo™ Cheese Dip, our new complete Queso product. With its zesty, Tex-Mex flavor it can be served with or without customizing. Minimal labor and skill is required. Individual portions can be microwave heated, which makes it even more flexible for operations such as snack bars.

3)  Can I use either milk or water to blend my Queso?
Yes.  If the goal is economizing, you can use water to blend Queso with our Performance Cheese, without any noticeable difference in taste.  However, if you want your queso on the richer side, milk is the better option.  If you want a slightly thinner Queso, water will serve your needs better.

4) What do I do about the skin that forms on Queso while it's being held?
The “skin” is what forms as the product cools.  It forms on the top surface because of evaporation.  We recommend keeping the queso covered as much as possible along with frequent stirring so that the skin melts and gets reincorporated.

5) If I want to offer Queso on my menu today what kind of equipment would I need (or not need if I use Queso Bravo™ Cheese Dip)?
To start offering Queso made to order, with Performance Cheese or Queso Bravo™ Cheese Dip, your equipment requirements could be as simple as a microwave, a cup and a piece of plastic wrap. 

For larger batches, the equipment recommended for preparation with Performance Cheese is a heat source and a double boiler, which needs less minding than natural cheeses.  To keep the Queso warm, you can serve from the same double boiler or transfer finished product to a bain marie (steam table pan), for serving from your steam table.

Queso Bravo™ Cheese Dip can be heated in the pouch when using steam heat or boiling.  Queso Bravo™ Cheese Dip cannot be microwaved in the pouch.  Serving recommendations are the same as with Performance Cheese.