Mollete slices of jalapeño or serrano peppers. It is then grilled in an oven until the cheese melts. The frijoles refritos are "frijol mantequilla" known outside of the region as "pinto beans". The traditional cheeses used were the queso ranchero, asadero or queso menonita. The queso ranchero is most similar to Parmesan with less aging, the asadero is a creamy provolone and the menonita most closely resembles Havarti. "Molletes" in southern Mexico can be served with salsa or "pico de gallo" or topped with sliced ham, chorizo, bacon or mushrooms. "Molletes" are considered a distant cousin of the Italian bruschetta dish.
Tex-Mex popular foods for more than a century. A taste for "cabrito" (kid goat), "barbacoa de cabeza" (barbecued beef heads), "carne seca" (dried beef), and other products of cattle culture is also common on both sides of the Rio Grande. In the 20th century, Tex-Mex took on such Americanized elements as yellow cheese, as goods from the United States became cheap and readily available. In much of Texas, the cooking styles on both sides of the U.S.–Mexico border were the same until a period after the U.S. Civil War. With the railroads, American ingredients and cooking appliances became common on the