Celebrate Cheese as a Way of Life– the Eden way!

Cheese is an important part in every Filipino household. Just take the well-loved Pinoy spaghetti or the classic pandesal and cheese sandwich for example. Without cheese, it would seem like these dishes lack something. Something salty, something gooey, or simply something to just tie everything together.

My childhood was a cheesy one, to say the least. I would often add tons of cheese on top of my spaghetti til the whole thing was almost yellow (baked spaghetti was a bonus. Just imagine all that melted cheese on top!). On lazy days, I would even put a few slices in the microwave, melt it, and eat it in all its gooey goodness! Cheese was often a must-have in our household, and it was always number one on our grocery list.

While I knew that a lot of people shared the same love for cheese as I did, I was not aware until recently that there was a day to celebrate the deliciousness of cheese– National Cheese Day! No one knew who or what exactly started this internet phenomenon aside from a common love for cheese, but even so, it became a memorable day for me.

And what better way to celebrate National Cheese Day than with the country’s number one cheese: Eden!

Days before National Cheese Day took place, Eden held their very own celebration for this momentous event. Held in Relish Luxe Cafe along Ortigas Avenue, this intimate affair was a gathering of foodies, moms, and cheese-lovers alike.

Eden Cheese is a product of Mondelez International, a multi-national company that carries big-name brands like Oreo cookies, Cadbury Dairy Milk, Milka and Toblerone chocolates. Its local counterpart handles Tang powdered beverages, and other condiments besides Eden Cheese like Eden mayonnaise and sandwich spreads, along with Cheese Whiz spread.

Eden Cheese, a purely Filipino product, has been a steadfast partner of households since its birth in 1981. Eden is a go-to brand for moms because of its affordable price, consistent taste and color, as well as its long shelf life. This makes Eden Cheese a versatile and handy ingredient for anyone to whip up just about anything in the kitchen.

During the renowned Food Journalist and “Adobo Queen” Nancy Reyes Lumen shares her experience with cheese, along with some cooking tips and hacks for home cooks and aspiring chefs.

She uses the classic meaty caldereta and menchado as her example. Adding Eden Cheese to it gives a salty and creamy kick that adds a new dimension of flavor to these tomato-based stews.

According to Nancy, cheese can actually be used in more than just savory dishes. Even desserts can use some salty cheese! From ate‘s special buko salads to leche flans, there’s nothing you can’t add cheese to.

Joining the open forum was Eden’s brand manager Rafael Baradas, who shared how cheese has become so important in our lives that it became part of our tradition and even culture. He reminisced about his past birthdays with sweet Pinoy spaghetti, while Christmas and fiestas, on the other hand, showcase cheesy desserts like pichi pichi and bibingka. This trip down memory lane just showed how there are many, many ways to enjoy this cheesy treat.

But one thing is for sure. No matter how you use your cheese, Eden gives you the same unmatched taste and flavor. It’s 100% deliciousness and creaminess every time!

To sum up what cheese truly means in our lives, we go back to the wise words of Nancy Reyes Lumen: “Cheese is such a wonderful food that you can’t outgrow it. It is indispensable to our culture and daily lives as Filipinos. Cheese is one of the earliest foods we taste and the delight of it stays on from infancy to adulthood. We have grown up with it and it has been part of our lives all these years. Cheese is practically a ‘no-fail’ ingredient… you can even burn it and it still tastes good. We love cheese because it blends creaminess into our taste buds. It is comfort food!”

And I agree wholeheartedly.

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Eden Cheese varieties include: the classic Eden Original, Eden Singles (slices of cheese), Eden Melt Sarap (quick-melt cheese) and the seasonal Eden Queso de Bola Flavor, which is available only during the Christmas Season.

To know more, visit Eden on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.