Not Every Cheese Dip is the Same, Is it?

I grew up on queso, that creamy yellow dip packed with jalapenos.  All my friends and I loved it.  But one day I sat down in a Mexican restaurant and ordered some queso.  They brought me out a bowl of white soup.  I was in shock.  "What is this?" I said.  "Queso," the waiter replied.  "Try it."
Well, what can you do but dip in?  I took a chip, scooped up the white soup, and took a taste.  It wasn't bad.  It was a little off from my queso flavor but I kind of liked it.  So the meal was saved and I left the waiter a good tip.

But have you ever wondered how the same basic recipe can wander off in two different directions?  I'm not alone.  I think people are often confused by the two cheese dips.

I was reading about queso and wine and the article made a funny remark. The author said: "The title Queso and Wine might trigger the thought of processed Velveeta cheese dip with a sickly sweet wine. Not in our home, where Spanish-style cheeses served with Spanish wines evoke thoughts of many pleasant food experiences."

So this white cheese dip we keep hearing about is made from a Spanish cheese?  Well that kind of makes sense.  But then I have also read that restaurants are actually using white American cheese.  And people keep asking how it's made.

So we have three kinds of cheese: yellow cheese, white Spanish cheese, and white American cheese.  I guess you can make cheese dip with almost any kind of cheese if you really want to.

The most popular recipe I have found keeps pointing back to one Website.  I guess when you have a winner a lot of people thank you.  I haven't tried this Asadero cheese but I will keep my eyes open for it because it sounds pretty good.  And not just good, but simple.

I still love my yellow cheese dip.  My buddies and I cook some up every time we have a "boys night out" for a game or wrestling match.  There's just nothing like a good thick dip on a large crunchy slice of baked corn tortilla.

But if I had to spend the rest of my life on an island with only one source of cheese dip, it would be hard for me to choose.  That Mexican restaurant had a pretty nice dip.