Arizona cheese crisp
Encyclopedia
An Arizona cheese crisp (often called simply "cheese crisp") is an open-faced, flour tortilla
covered in butter
and shredded cheese, baked until crisp on top. It is similar to a quesadilla
, but distinct in that a cheese crisp is not folded over, and that it is also baked until the cheese becomes crisp. Common cheeses to use include in various combinations are oaxaca
, monterey jack, or cheddar
. Cheese crisps sometimes are topped with onions, cilantro, or peppers. The cheese crisp is said to have been made famous by the "El Charo" restaurant in Tucson, Arizona.
Cheese crisps are ubiquitous in Arizona, but rarely found outside of the state other than places popular with Arizona tourists such as Puerto Peñasco
and San Diego.
Tortilla
In Mexico and Central America, a tortilla is a type of thin, unleavened flat bread, made from finely ground maize...
covered in butter
Butter
Butter is a dairy product made by churning fresh or fermented cream or milk. It is generally used as a spread and a condiment, as well as in cooking applications, such as baking, sauce making, and pan frying...
and shredded cheese, baked until crisp on top. It is similar to a quesadilla
Quesadilla
A quesadilla is a flour or corn tortilla filled with a savoury mixture containing cheese and other ingredients, then folded in half to form a half-moon shape. This dish originated in Mexico, and the name is derived from the Spanish word queso ....
, but distinct in that a cheese crisp is not folded over, and that it is also baked until the cheese becomes crisp. Common cheeses to use include in various combinations are oaxaca
Oaxaca cheese
Queso Oaxaca is a white, semihard cheese from Mexico, similar to unaged Monterey Jack, but with a mozzarella-like string cheese texture. It is named after the state of Oaxaca in southern Mexico, where it was first made. It is available in several different shapes. It is also known as quesillo...
, monterey jack, or cheddar
Cheddar cheese
Cheddar cheese is a relatively hard, yellow to off-white, and sometimes sharp-tasting cheese, produced in several countries around the world. It has its origins in the English village of Cheddar in Somerset....
. Cheese crisps sometimes are topped with onions, cilantro, or peppers. The cheese crisp is said to have been made famous by the "El Charo" restaurant in Tucson, Arizona.
Cheese crisps are ubiquitous in Arizona, but rarely found outside of the state other than places popular with Arizona tourists such as Puerto Peñasco
Puerto Peñasco
Puerto Peñasco is a city and municipality located in the northwest of the state of Sonora about 100 km from the Arizona border. It is located on the small strip of land that joins the peninsula of Baja California with the rest of Mexico. The area is part of the Altar Desert, one of the driest...
and San Diego.