"Most people think of Mexican cheese as the melted cheese on enchiladas," says Lesley Téllez. "In fact, there is a big tradition of crumbled cheeses. And even the melted ones are used in balance with everything else — not in one big melted pool." The most-common cheeses in Mexico are made from cow's milk, Téllez explained on a recent visit to Food Network Kitchen. Here are the types you'll find most often in American markets and some easy ways to use them.

Photography by Heather Ramsdell