Grandma Cecilia's Famous Jocoque Cheese
By Larry J. Rodarte © The Diaz Observer Online, May 24, 2020
Chances are, in the mountainous region of Huandacareo, Michoacán, in rancho de Chixo (chi-cho), Grandma Cecilia learned to make her famous cheese called jocoque (Hoh–koh-keh). In their primitive existence, they grew their own food and raised their cattle.
Once on the farm in Saginaw, it was customary for Grandma to make this cheese and walk around the First Ward area near St. Joseph Catholic Church, selling her cheese first for 25 cents and later $1.00 to make a little bit of money. She had her clientele and Grandpa Senobio provided her with the fresh milk from the cows.
“We lived on a farm and we had a cow which meant we always had lots of milk,” said Theresa Stricker Pawlowski on the Senobio y Cecilia Facebook group page recently referring to her favorite cheese. “Grandma Diaz taught my mom how to make her cheese. It was so good and I always looked forward to seeing the special pan mom used to make the cheese in.”
Tia Della concurred, recalling the actual name of the cheese that Theresa couldn’t remember. Jocoque— just hearing the name evokes their memories of the old days when crumbled bits of this delicatessen were sprinkled on their frijoles.
Uncle Ralph often spoke of this cheese too, way into his 90’s, and 50 years after her 1962 passing.
“Oh man,” Tio would start out and then affirming, “It was good!”
Rachel Diaz-Leopold says her Dad would love to tell his grandkids and great-grandkids the story of his mother making cheese. No matter how many times he would tell the story — they always gave their granddad undivided attention.
“Because it took a little while to make it, it was always rationed out to us eight kids,” Theresa fondly recalls. “I remember how much mom loved having it ready to present to Uncle Steve and Uncle Ralph when she knew they were going to visit us. I've never been able to find any that tasted as heavenly as what my mom and Grandma made.”
Grandma Cecilia was also known to grow her own chili Japanese (Ha-pa-nese) and hang dry it in the sun after it was put through a string. Her grand black fire-stove is often also mentioned where she would make her comidas daily.
But it is the Jocoque cheese that Chelo, Paul, Theresa — all her eldest grandchildren remembered.
Jocoque or jocoque seco is a dairy product based on fermented milk, typical of Mexican cuisine, as defined in Wikipedia. It is described as a type of white yogurt cheese made with sheep, cow, or occasionally goat milk. It has a consistency between yogurt and cheese, and sometimes it can have a doughy texture.
A pill of enzymes is required too, as part of the ingredients to separate the cream from the milk, most likely rennet, which separates curds and whey.
“Mom always kept it in a covered pan where it rested off to the side on the basement steps. When it was ready to eat, it was firm enough to flake off. Not dry, but not to moist. I have seen and tasted white cheese that had the same round shape, but I’ve never had any that compared in taste,” Theresa said.
A call went out to see if any of the Texan relatives could find this illusive Jocoque cheese. Connie Medel searched in San Antonio, while Art and Liz Ruiz searched near Houston finding a brand by Los Altos at a HEB branch store called Mi Tienda. This prompted delivery inquires to see if the cheese actually tasted like Grandma’s.
Cousin Janie Stricker pushed Lydia Medel Argumedo to make the cheese and maybe start a “Jocoque class.”
The fact that we are talking about this cheese nearly 60 years later —there’s no doubt that little Grandma’s homemade cheese was delicious and beloved by her family. Lydia remembers an early encounter with it. “I remember Aunt Carmen sent the boys with Jocoque and mom let me taste it. It was so good. It reminded me of sour cheese.”
With so many family members remembering the taste on their pallet, those of us can only dream until someone gets the recipe right! Who will be the taste tasters?
In the midst of putting together our family cookbook, I say here’s to Jocoque and to our Diaz family culinary memories!
Once on the farm in Saginaw, it was customary for Grandma to make this cheese and walk around the First Ward area near St. Joseph Catholic Church, selling her cheese first for 25 cents and later $1.00 to make a little bit of money. She had her clientele and Grandpa Senobio provided her with the fresh milk from the cows.
“We lived on a farm and we had a cow which meant we always had lots of milk,” said Theresa Stricker Pawlowski on the Senobio y Cecilia Facebook group page recently referring to her favorite cheese. “Grandma Diaz taught my mom how to make her cheese. It was so good and I always looked forward to seeing the special pan mom used to make the cheese in.”
Tia Della concurred, recalling the actual name of the cheese that Theresa couldn’t remember. Jocoque— just hearing the name evokes their memories of the old days when crumbled bits of this delicatessen were sprinkled on their frijoles.
Uncle Ralph often spoke of this cheese too, way into his 90’s, and 50 years after her 1962 passing.
“Oh man,” Tio would start out and then affirming, “It was good!”
Rachel Diaz-Leopold says her Dad would love to tell his grandkids and great-grandkids the story of his mother making cheese. No matter how many times he would tell the story — they always gave their granddad undivided attention.
“Because it took a little while to make it, it was always rationed out to us eight kids,” Theresa fondly recalls. “I remember how much mom loved having it ready to present to Uncle Steve and Uncle Ralph when she knew they were going to visit us. I've never been able to find any that tasted as heavenly as what my mom and Grandma made.”
Grandma Cecilia was also known to grow her own chili Japanese (Ha-pa-nese) and hang dry it in the sun after it was put through a string. Her grand black fire-stove is often also mentioned where she would make her comidas daily.
But it is the Jocoque cheese that Chelo, Paul, Theresa — all her eldest grandchildren remembered.
Jocoque or jocoque seco is a dairy product based on fermented milk, typical of Mexican cuisine, as defined in Wikipedia. It is described as a type of white yogurt cheese made with sheep, cow, or occasionally goat milk. It has a consistency between yogurt and cheese, and sometimes it can have a doughy texture.
A pill of enzymes is required too, as part of the ingredients to separate the cream from the milk, most likely rennet, which separates curds and whey.
“Mom always kept it in a covered pan where it rested off to the side on the basement steps. When it was ready to eat, it was firm enough to flake off. Not dry, but not to moist. I have seen and tasted white cheese that had the same round shape, but I’ve never had any that compared in taste,” Theresa said.
A call went out to see if any of the Texan relatives could find this illusive Jocoque cheese. Connie Medel searched in San Antonio, while Art and Liz Ruiz searched near Houston finding a brand by Los Altos at a HEB branch store called Mi Tienda. This prompted delivery inquires to see if the cheese actually tasted like Grandma’s.
Cousin Janie Stricker pushed Lydia Medel Argumedo to make the cheese and maybe start a “Jocoque class.”
The fact that we are talking about this cheese nearly 60 years later —there’s no doubt that little Grandma’s homemade cheese was delicious and beloved by her family. Lydia remembers an early encounter with it. “I remember Aunt Carmen sent the boys with Jocoque and mom let me taste it. It was so good. It reminded me of sour cheese.”
With so many family members remembering the taste on their pallet, those of us can only dream until someone gets the recipe right! Who will be the taste tasters?
In the midst of putting together our family cookbook, I say here’s to Jocoque and to our Diaz family culinary memories!
Chelo Talks about Jocoque
A Diaz Cookbook https://www.thediazobserver.com/a-diaz-cookbook.html#