The fancy name for melted cheese is fondue, which is a communal pot of melted cheese and wine.
Other fancy names for melted cheese are grilled cheese, raclette, Queso Fundido, Fonduta, Mornay Sauce and Welsh Rarebit.
Welsh Rarebit, is an 18th century British dish that contains savory cheese sauce that is poured over toasted bread.
Mornay sauce is a classic French Bechamel sauce of butter, flour and milk that is combined with some shredded cheese to create a smooth and thick, melty cheese sauce.
Fonduta is an Italian style dipping sauce or cream that is made from Fontina cheese, milk and egg yolks.
Queso Fundido is a Mexican style dish of hot, bubbly and often also browned melted cheese, that is sometimes served with chorizo.
Raclette is a traditional Alpine dish in which a cheese wheel is melted next to a heat source, and then scraped directly onto foods like pickles, meats and potatoes.
The cheese that melts when fried is mozzarella cheese, young cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, Havarti cheese, Gouda cheese and provolone cheese.
When choosing cheese that melts really well when fried or melt in general, you want cheese that has high moisture and lower protein cross linking, which results in a nice, gooey and soft texture instead of holding it's shape.
Some good Mexican melting cheeses are Queso Oaxaca (Asadero), Queso Chihuahua, and Queso Quesadilla.
The Queso Oaxaca (Asadero), Queso Chihuahua, and Queso Quesadilla Mexican melting cheeses are great for making nachos, quesadillas as well as queso fundido.
Oaxaca Mexican melting cheese offers a nice mozzarella like pull and the Chihuahua Mexican melting cheese has a cheddar like melt to it.
All of these Queso Oaxaca (Asadero), Queso Chihuahua, and Queso Quesadilla Mexican melting cheeses melt very beautifully, which makes them staples in traditional Mexican cooking as well as Tex-Mex cooking.
They can and are often also substituted for or blended with Monterey Jack cheese for superior gooeyness.
Monterey Jack and Cheddar blends of cheeses are common in Tex-Mex and they add a familiar tang and melt, although they are less traditional than pure Mexican cheeses.
Queso Quesadilla is a semi soft cheese that melts smoothly, and is often used in quesadillas and also as a substitute for Monterey Jack cheese.
Queso Chihuahua also known as Menonita, is a light yellow, semi firm cheese that melts very easily, with flavor that is akin to mild cheddar cheese, which is also excellent for queso fundido.
And Queso Oaxaca also known as Asadero/Quesillo is a string like, mild and buttery cheese that is also very stretchy and very similar to mozzarella cheese and is also perfect for quesadillas and even snacking on.
Oaxaca and Chihuahua cheeses are often used in Quesadillas and Tacos and are folded into tortillas and fillings.
Queso Fundido is a hot, melted cheese dip that is made with Chihuahua or Oaxaca and served with chips.
And these cheeses are also melted over nachos, enchiladas and casseroles and melt very well.
If you want authentic, stretchy melts, you should choose Oaxaca, or for a cheddar like melt in dips or go for Chihuahua.
And even Monterey Jack is also a great and widely available substitute for both these cheeses.