Quesillo

I have been really craving quesillo today! That's my favorite Nicaraguan food. It's a particular type of cheese (called, interestingly enough, quesillo) wrapped in a tortilla with onions and sour cream. Most Nicaraguans eat it from a plastic baggie although sometimes just on a plate. I have the onions, which I bought last time I was in Nica. It's all chopped up and comes in a jar so it's not like regular onions you buy from a grocery store here. And I can make tortillas and regular sour cream is fine. But I can't find quesillo here in the States. Tonight I went to La Tienda, the Latino store I go to often, and asked for it but the guy hadn't even heard of it. Another man who was in line knew what it was though and said how much his wife loves quesillo. So we were both trying to describe it to the guy who worked at the store and he went to the refigerated section and came back with what he said was quesillo. But I am sure it wasn't. For one thing, quesillo looks like a braided mozzarella. This cheese was not braided but came in a big wheel of cheese. And it was REALLY expensive, like $32 for the wheel. Since I have never been able to even find quesillo here in the States, I have no idea how much it would cost here, but I know it is nowhere near that expensive in Nicaragua. I am tempted to buy some when I am in Nica and bring it back with me but I am not sure how it would survive the plane trip home. Oh well, my friend Keren promised to take me for quesillos when I am there next week and I am sure Ivonne and Pancho will as well.
I am nowhere near ready for my trip, though. I've done most of the shopping I need to do, which is a start. I bought a CD for Ivonne's birthday (Nichole Nordeman's "Brave" ) and also some Ghiradelli chocolates; a cherry/caramel/popcorn thing; a bag of chocolate covered almonds, peanuts, raisins and caramels and a bag of chocolate covered blueberries for the family to share. I still need to get a birthday present for Isamar, but I am thinking a nice journal and some chocolate, and I want to hit Dollar Tree for a bunch of candy and gifts for the rest of the kids at the orphanage. For myself, I just need to get makeup brushes since mine seem to have disappeared, and some travel toiletries. Yeah, I know it's bizarre that I would even wear makeup at all while visiting an orphanage in a third world country, but I do wear it to church and if I go out to dinner with my friends, and it's fun for the older girls and I to do each other's makeup. They really enjoy it. I need to finish writing letters to the kids, and also organize and pack all the gifts people have donated. I am really hoping it will all fit in one bag so I can use a suitcase for my clothes this time. I usually just use one of my carry-ons for my clothes, which is fine, but it can get heavy and I hate having to ask for help getting my bag into the overhead compartment, which is really difficult because of my back. So we'll see.
Well, I'd better quit procrastinating. I still have to put together the dressers My parents gave me for Christmas, write some more letters to bring to Nica, and do some packing. Thank God I am not working between now and when I leave so I have some time to get everything done.