quesadilla without cheese
the word quesadilla derives from queso, the spanish word for cheese. this suggests that cheese is central to the definition of a quesadilla. in most of the united states, and in much of northern mexico, this is correct. a quesadilla is a tortilla filled with cheese, heated until the cheese melts.
in mexico city, quesadillas are sometimes served without cheese.
this is not a variation or a regional quirk that changes the filling. it is a structural fact: you can order a quesadilla, receive a folded tortilla with meat or vegetables inside, and find no cheese at all. if you want cheese, you must specifically request a “quesadilla con queso.”
i do not like cheese. i have spent years navigating menus and explaining this to people who assume i am joking. for this reason, the existence of the cheeseless quesadilla is not just linguistically interesting. it is personally relevant.
the debate over this definition is ongoing. some residents of mexico city argue that the tortilla and the fold define the quesadilla, not the filling. others, particularly outside the capital, insist that a quesadilla without cheese is not a quesadilla at all. both sides are serious about this.
there is something almost procedural about the disagreement. it is a question of whether the form or the content determines the category. the tortilla and the fold, or the filling. the structure, or the substance.
i am not qualified to settle the debate. but i am glad it exists.
References
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“In Mexico City, if you want cheese in your quesadilla, you have to ask.” The World from PRX, 10 July 2018, theworld.org/stories/2018/07/10/if-you-want-cheese-your-quesadilla-mexico-city-you-have-ask.
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“To cheese or not to cheese: What’s in a quesadilla?” Mexico News Daily, mexiconewsdaily.com/food/to-cheese-or-not-to-cheese-whats-in-a-quesadilla.