Tequeño

Tequeño is a fried breaded cheese stick or a spear of bread dough with queso blanco stuffed in the middle, and is a popular meal or snack in Venezuela. To prepare it, the dough is wrapped around a cheesestick and formed into a breadstick so it can be fried in oil for 6 minutes at 400 °F or sometimes oven-baked. Tequeños can be eaten for breakfast, as a starter or sidedish, or as a snack food at parties and weddings.

Tequeños originate in Venezuela. There are many theories and legends about the origin of their name, one of which is that they were named after Los Teques for being invented in the kitchen of one of the wealthy families living there. This anecdote could just as well be an urban myth, yet it's the most accepted theory.

Many different recipes for tequeños can be found online. Tequeños can be made with different varieties of cheese, and even with sweet fillings like chocolate or guava although salty white cheeses are the most popular. Tequeños have become very popular in other regions within Latin America because of how easy they are to make, thanks to the Venezuelan diaspora. They have also become increasingly popular in Spain.

There are similar dishes, such as Peruvian Tequeños, which use a Wantán dough and can have other fillings than cheese. They are often eaten with Guacamole.