casa fiesta de cinco de mayo!

I had an unopened bottle of Don Julio tequila that Zander and I brought back from Mexico, and I knew what I had to do with it: pitchers of Corona-ritas for Cinco de Mayo. Since Cinco was on a Sunday this year, Matt and I opted to host a brunch party. We made chilaquiles, queso (the recipe), and churros, while Zan manned peppers, onions, and chorizo on the grill. Friends brought chips and guacamole, salsa, and even homemade Mexican chocolate sorbet. We downed mango bellinis, too quickly forged our way through the tequila, and there are still a dozen Mexican beers in my fridge. 

Melanie sent me links throughout the week leading up to the party for everything from churro popcorn to a DIY photobooth. I knew I had to have a photobooth after I saw that, but I didn't have time to find the materials I'd need for the fringe. Zan came to the rescue with a simple way to hang a blanket we purchased in Tulum on a brick wall in Matt's and my apartment.

Matt made a last-minute trip to Party City for props - 'staches, maracas, a miniature sombrero, and a big 'ole colorful one. Zan brought over his oversized straw sombrero to complete the looks. Matt and I took a "family portrait" with Theo. That dog sure knows how to rock a mustache.

My old college and DC roommate (so much history!) came into town with her boyfriend for the weekend, and man oh man it was so good to see them. We had a great turnout for the party, and it was such a great time with so many wonderful friends that we've already started planning a bigger, better photobooth party for next year. 

It was a lot of fun incorporating some of the culture (cough tequila) Zander and I experienced in Mexico into a celebration with friends here at home. The occasion also inspired me to do what I love possibly even more than taking photobooth pictures: travel-related research. Here's a short overview of what Cinco de Mayo is really all about and why we (yes, we Americans!) celebrate it. 

Okay, I lied. I don't love anything more than taking photobooth pictures.

mi queso, su queso | real mexican cheese queso dip recipe

I beg of you -- please reconsider before you make a Velveeta-based dip for your Cinco de Mayo festivities. There's a better way. It's simple! And really, really delicious. I can't stress that part enough. Trust me on this.

My office is having an early Cinco celebration with a dip-off. I get crazed about these competitions. I search high and low for the perfect recipes, I go so far overboard I can't even see the ship, and I win. Every time. Knock on wood, because the competition doesn't start for another few hours!

I planned to make Queso Fundido con Chorizo (a baked, sizzling, smoldering dish of melted cheese, flavored with chorizo, jalapenos, peppers, and onions), but logistically, how could I get that to work still sizzling? I couldn't figure out a way so I decided to go with queso dip. I took a trip to El Progresso, a Mexican market in Mt. Plesant, and picked up some Crema, or Mexican sour cream, and a variety of Queso Fresco cheeses.

I searched recipes for blanco (white) queso dip using real cheese, and they were few and far between. The ones I did find had questionable reviews - multiple people said it turned out gloppy, and the cheese separated, creating an unappetizing mess. After finally finding half a dozen similar recipes with nice-looking results, I adapted what I liked from each to make my own.

I made a simple roux - melted better, milk, and flour to start. I sauteed onion, jalapeno peppers, and garlic next - my house smelled like a Mexican restaurant (my version of heaven, I think). I stirred in tomatoes and cilantro, then slowly mixed in cheese on low heat- half of which I grated from a block, the other half was shredded. I mixed in half a cup of Mexican crema to finish, testing for taste, and then I swooned. It's spicy, cheese, rich in flavor, and fragrant. This is the real (Tex-Mex) deal.

real cheese queso, adapted from Gourmet Veggie Mama and Homesick Texan

ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk (whole milk or a mixture of any with half and half is best)
1/2 medium white onion (mine measured 1 cup)
2 finely diced jalapenos
4-5 cloves garlic, minced (i use a cheese grater to do this)
2-3 tomatoes, diced
5 cups cheese in total -- i used mexican queso fresco (asadero) - you can use monterrey jack or cheddar
1/2 cup chopped cilantro (to taste)
1/2 cup crema or sour cream

steps 

1. melt the butter n a large saucepan over medium or medium-low heat (my burners are HOT so i used medium-low)
2. saute the onion and jalapenos until fragrant (3 minutes) + add the garlic and saute for 1 more minute
3. add flour and mix until it bubbles (it may seem too dry, but get the flour completely mixed in, it will even out)
4. stir in the milk a little at a time, breaking up lumps as you go. keep stirring until the mixture thickens (this won't take very long) 
5. add the tomatoes and stir well
6. lower the heat to very low 
7. add the cheese 1/4-1/2 cup at a time, stirring until it is completely melted each time before adding the next batch. 
8. once all the cheese has been mixed in, mix in the crema
9. serve!