Found Latino Cheese in Boston!!!

So I went on a pilgrimage today in search for hard white cheese (Queso Fresco, either Mexican or Colombian, brand could be Tropical or Santa Fe), which is unavailable in regular grocery stores. This holy grail of cheeses is very common in Latin American countries, and can be found in latino markets. Unfortunately for me, Norwood is out in the middle of white American suburbia, and the chances of finding an ethnic market are slim to none.

Hard white cheese has many uses. You can have them in arepas:

… or have them as tostadas (cheese grilled onto the arepa)

… or to make envueltos (fried plantain, sandwiched between two slices of white cheese, wrapped in a pancake-like mixture, and grilled all over)

Call it nostalgia, call it pregnancy cravings… but recently I’ve just been YEARNING for all of the above. Cheese hunting, here I come!

So, I ventured out to Framingham (pretty much the Little Brazil of Greater Boston) to a little market called “Latino’s Market” (275 Beaver St, Framingham, MA) located very close to my old apartment. They had the cheese, but it had expired (they pulled them off the shelves as soon as I pointed it out, and refused to sell it to me). Noble, yes, but now I was back to square 1. They recommended I went to a new market that had opened up, down Route 135, past the train station, past Tedeschi, past the Walgreens. Mmmmm… alright, where’s the Walgreens again?

I followed every landmark to a tee, and ended up at a little store with no name. It looked like a lottery-ticket selling, cigarette break, sketchy ATM type place. It didn’t even have a name on the outside! I went in anyway.

Inside, was a very nice guy behind the counter. His name is Javier, and he’s the son of the owner. I asked him for cheese, and he pointed me in the right direction. Turns out that his father owns both markets, and his new store (which opened 2 months ago) was going to be called “Latino’s Market 2” but money is tight and they haven’t been able to put up a sign with a name on it. I bought the cheese, wished him the best of luck with the store and walked out with a smile on my face. He was just so nice and I felt so welcome there, that I vowed to post an entry about him and his store.

Looking for latino ingredients? Try this market! It won’t let you down. Tell Javier that ina said hi 🙂 He won’t remember me, but he might next time I go restock on that cheese!

Latino’s Market 2
Open from 8am to 10pm every day
Address (approx) 650 Waverly St, Framingham, MA
Right next to Saucier St intersection with Waverly St, and exactly past the Walgreens parking lot when coming from the center of town.
Waverly St = Route 135

ina

Post-post: My friend @na has informed me that they sell this cheese at Market Basket. Good tip!!!