The Marquesita is one of the most delicious culinary creations to come from the Yucatan Peninsula

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It all started in the 1930s in Merida, Yucatan when Leopoldo Mena, a local ice cream parlor, noticed that ice cream sales dropped considerably on the cold Yucatecan winter nights.

So, he decided to innovate and created a thin and crispy crepe, which could be filled with hollandaise ball cheese (very popular in the region) and other sweet ingredients such as jam, and Cajeta.

This is how “the Marquesitas” were born, called in honor of the daughters of a Marques who attended his post.

What started as a strategy to stay in business quickly morphed into a regional sensation, and today, Marquettes are a Yucatan culinary icon.

Watching a marquesita being made is part of the fun of getting one. Even though these are sold in the street from small carts, they use gas flames to heat a waffle-like iron press. The preparer pours the batter on the press lets it cook a little and turns the heavy press over to cook evenly. He then will take a knife around the edge to cut off the excess batter that comes out of the press.

Next, the preparer will open the press sprinkle in the cheese spread the topping of your choice, and roll it up. Toppings include Nutella (a very popular option!) jam, peanut butter, Cajeta (a type of caramel sauce), or chocolate sauce. 

The combination of the sweet and the cheese is good and all wrapped up in the crispy crepe.  The residual heat melts the cheese a little. It is then put in a paper sleeve or napkin and given to you to enjoy.

According to Wikipedia, a marquesita is a dessert native to the state of Yucatán, Mexico. It consists of a crepe, rolled and filled with Cajeta, condensed milk, jam, chocolate, or edam cheese, also known as queso de bola. They are sold in squares, parks, and streets.

Sources.- Curiosities in history / Wikipedia

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