For some reason, I have had queso three times in the past week. My favorite food is cheese, and it doesn’t get much better than hot, spicy cheese better known as queso. Actually it is usually listed on restaurant menus as Chile con Queso, which means melted cheese and chili pepper, but I just call it queso.

Last week I had the yummy Queso Blanco Dip at Don Pablo’s. I hadn’t been there in years. We went for Happy Hour, so the queso was half off, as were their margaritas, or pabloritas as they call them. Don Pablo’s Queso Blanco Dip is a white Monterey Jack cheese sauce with chopped green chilies and jalapeno peppers. When it was first served, it was too thin. But within a few minutes it thickened up and was perfect. I could eat it with a fork, and that’s how I like it.

This week I had the Chile con Queso at Chevy’s. I had actually never been to Chevy’s. We went for Happy Hour, so the queso was $5. Chevy’s Chile con Queso is made with velveeta and milk with tomatoes, onions, green peppers, cilantro and jalepenos. This week I also had queso from Qdoba that was leftover in the office. It was good. I really didn’t pay too much attention to it because I was shoveling it in while I was working. It was free, so it was good. (Thanks RR)

My favorite queso is from La Palapa on Main Street in Ellicott City. It is just the best, thickest, cheesiest queso ever! La Palapa’s Chile con Queso is made from a blend of cheeses, chilies, beer and spices. Maybe it’s the beer that makes it taste so good. I just like that it’s so think you can eat it with a fork. The only problem is it only comes in a cup, not a bowl.

If I don’t feel like to going out to a restaurant, but still have a hankering for queso, I’ll just melt velveeta and add salsa. It gets the job done just fine.