La Despensa: Panes, Quesos y Salsas - One Sandwich

Mexican sandwich roll; softer than bolillo, three-sectioned top, used for tortas.

Green tomatillo salsa; raw or cooked tomatillos with serrano, cilantro.

Red salsa; various dried or fresh red chiles.

Oaxacan string cheese; stretchy, milky, used for quesadillas.

Mexican manchego; not Spanish manchego, milder cow's milk cheese for melting.

Fresh white cheese; crumbly, mild, used as topping.

Chihuahua cheese; semi-soft melting cheese from Mennonite communities.

Grilling cheese; white, melts smoothly.

Flour tortilla with carne asada and melted cheese; Monterrey specialty.

Fresh salsa; chopped tomato, onion, cilantro, serrano, lime.

Day of the Dead bread; sweet, can be used for special sandwiches.

Mashed avocado with lime, cilantro, onion, chile.

Refried beans; pinto or black beans mashed and fried in lard, essential torta spread.

Black beans; especially Southern/Yucatán.

Rolled tortilla in chile sauce; not quite a sandwich but related. American versions heavily cheesed.

Mexican sour cream; thinner and tangier than American sour cream.

Smoked jalapeños in vinegar-tomato sauce; essential for cemitas and many preparations.

Mexican white bread roll; crusty exterior, soft interior, torpedo-shaped. Most common torta bread.

Jalisco's sourdough-style crusty roll; harder than bolillo, essential for torta ahogada. French influence.