A cheese that keeps on giving
By Sol Vanzi
Like most peasant households, ours did not serve cheese as a regular item on the dining table. An exception was kesadilyo, a fresh white cheese that grandma made from leftover carabao’s milk. A second type came every December with Chinese ham, US apples, and canned meats, but the Queso de Bola’s aged scent and flavor did not appeal to us kids. We preferred the canned cheddar cheese, Kraft, in the familiar round blue tin initially available only through the US military bases’ commissaries and the black market.
Taking advantage of this popularity, Kraft introduced Filipinos to Kraft Cheddar in boxes. By 1981, Kraft unveiled another cheese brand in the Philippines: Eden, a creamier cheddar type that Filipinos easily fell in love with.
It is a love affair that’s impossible to fight. I know. My grandchildren insist on Eden Melt Sarap even when I offer imported Mozzarella each time I make pizza and lasagna. My daughter prefers Eden Queso de Bola on her ensaimada and leche flan. Talk about reverse snobbery.
Versatility and variants – Yes, you read correctly. Eden now has variants to suit all cooking needs. I have even used both Queso de Bola and Melt Sarap in Carbonara and Baked Mac, with great results.
'My grandchildren insist on Eden Melt Sarap even when I offer imported Mozzarella each time I make pizza and lasagna. My daughter prefers Eden Queso de Bola on her ensaimada and leche flan. Talk about reverse snobbery.'
Of course, the original Eden cheddar will always be around for all the traditional holiday dishes like morcon, caldereta, embutido, and macaroni salad. Needless to say, it is also fit to serve with cold cuts, fruits, and nuts on a grazing plate.
Online with bonuses – To avoid the hassle of supermarket crowds during the holiday season, Eden cheese products can now be bought via Shopee. Purchasing online gives unprecedented bonuses, the best of which is the opportunity to extend a helping hand and share your blessings with the less fortunate. And it will not cost you anything.
Eden launched their Eden Gratefulness Bundle in e-commerce, which is a Christmas Bundle initiative for the benefit of Rise Against Hunger Philippines, a non-profit organization that actively implements programs to address food insecurity and malnutrition in the country. For every purchase of the Eden Gratefulness Bundles on Shopee, Eden will donate one Eden Gratefulness Bundle of the same kind to Rise Against Hunger Philippines.
Buy one and Give one now through this link: bit.ly/ShopEdenCheese