Cajeta

Cajeta

Cajeta is a Mexican confection of thickened syrup that in its most common incarnation is made of sweetened caramelized milk.

According to chef Rick Bayless, the name for cajeta came from the Spanish phrase "al punto de cajeta", which means a liquid thickened to the point at which a spoon drawn through the liquid reveals the bottom of the pot in which it is being cooked. However, it is more popularly assumed that it takes its name from the small wooden boxes it was traditionally packed in. It goes by a number of other names in Latin America since in some of these countries, it has a vulgar meaning, referring to a woman's genitals. Mexican "cajeta" is considered a specialty of and popularly associated with the city of Celaya in the state of Guanajuato, although it is also produced with the traditional method in several towns of the state of Jalisco, such as Mazamitla and Sayula.

The process of making cajeta involves a slow cooking down of sweetened liquid until it achieves a very thick consistency. While sweetened milk is the most well-known base for this process, other sweetened liquids or juices may be employed as bases.

In Celaya, and eventually the rest of Mexico, the confection of half goat's milk and half cow's milk became known by the name "cajeta", but elsewhere, the milk candy is known as leche quemada, dulce de leche, et al. It has cousins in the many Indian milk-based sweets like pera and the milk fudge burfi, and in the opera fudge of the U.S.. Cajeta is eaten on its own as a sweet, as a spread or filling for breads and pastries, and as a topping for ice cream.

Certain liquors are added to special cajeta recipes called “Cajeta Envinada.”In addition, “Cajeta Envinada Especial” is enriched with raisins, almonds, pecans or nuts. Often topping crepes, in a sweet sauce boiled and softened down with milk to soak the crepes, resulting in a tasty dessert.

Recent events

In 2005, the Hershey Company introduced a line of "cajeta" flavored confections styled "Cajeta Elegancita", targeted at Mexican-food aficionados living in the United States. The marketing decision made headlines when it was discovered that the word is a term for the vulva in Argentinian parlance [http://www.lazoslatinos.com/press/advertising%20age.html] .

In 2006, Texas grocery chain H-E-B introduced "Cajeta" flavored ice cream.

ee also

* Dulce de leche

* Penuche


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  • Cajeta — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Cajeta puede referirse a: Cajeta de Celaya: dulce de leche tradicional elaborado a partir de leche de cabra; originario de la ciudad de Celaya (Guanajuato), en México. Dulce de leche tradicional en varios países de… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Cajēta — Cajēta, Amme des Äneas, folgte ihrem Zögling nach Italien u. starb bei Formiä, wo nach ihr die Stadt Cajēta, das jetzige Gaeta (s.d.), genannt wurde …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Cajēta — (Caieta), Stadt, s. Gaëta …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • CAJETA — promontor. et oppid. et portus Campaniae in Italia. Nomen unde habuerit, poeta Aen. l. 7. v. 1. indicat his versibus Tu quoque litoribus nostris Aeneia nutrix, Aeternam moriens famam Caieta dedisti. Silius Italicus, l. 8. v. 530. Fundique et… …   Hofmann J. Lexicon universale

  • cajeta — s f 1 Dulce de leche quemada con azúcar y alguna otra sustancia o esencia saborizante; es de consistencia espesa y color café claro u oscuro: De postre comimos bolillo con cajeta 2 (Alti C) Ate 3 De cajeta (Popular) De muy buena calidad o… …   Español en México

  • Cajeta — Dulce de leche (spanisch; wörtlich etwa: Süßigkeit aus Milch oder Milchkonfitüre) oder manjar blanco ist ein in ganz Lateinamerika (vor allem in Chile, südl. Brasilien, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentinien, Venezuela, Bolivien, Kolumbien, Ecuador,… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • cajeta — {{#}}{{LM C06548}}{{〓}} {{SynC06698}} {{[}}cajeta{{]}} ‹ca·je·ta› {{《}}▍ s.f.{{》}} {{<}}1{{>}} {{♂}}En zonas del español meridional,{{♀}} dulce de leche de cabra. {{<}}2{{>}} {{※}}vulg.malson.{{¤}} {{♂}}En zonas del español meridional,{{♀}} vulva …   Diccionario de uso del español actual con sinónimos y antónimos

  • cajeta — cajeta1 1 (Ar.) f. Caja o *cepillo para recoger limosnas. 2 (Cuba) *Petaca. 3 (Am. C., Méj.) Tarro donde se guardan *dulces o jaleas. ⊚ (Am. C., Méj.) Dulce contenido en él. cajeta2 (del ingl. «gaskett») f. Mar. Trenza o *cabo hecho de filásticas …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • cajeta — cajeta1 1. f. Ar. Caja o cepo para recoger limosnas. 2. Am. Cen. y Méx. Dulce de leche de cabra, sumamente espeso. 3. C. Rica y Guat. Especie de turrón que puede tener diferentes formas y tamaños. dar cajeta. fr. R. Dom. Crear problemas. cajeta2 …   Diccionario de la lengua española

  • Cajeta de Celaya — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Cajeta de Celaya La Cajeta de Celaya, es un dulce de leche elaborado mediante la combinación de leche de cabra hervida, azúcar morena, y canela; originario de la ciudad de Celaya (Guanajuato), en México. Cabe hacer… …   Wikipedia Español

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