Sending cheese in a balikbayan box

[Jollygoodfellow]

1 hour ago, Joey G said:

Actually sounds normal.... we used to make parmesan cheese "crackers" with Kraft Parmesan in the US.... form into a circle and bake.... ends up like a flat parmesan chip/cracker. It doesn't "melt" like other cheeses... too dry.

Cheddar cheese normally melts. Not pamasian as like you said parmesan is a dry cheese. If you toast a ham and cheddar cheese sandwich it will melt.

[sonjack2847]

I have just tasted this cheese without anything with it. When it was sent it was mature cheddar I would now put it at a medium and it is a bit crumbly. I have some more coming at the end of this year so I will put that (unopened) in the ref for a month ,maybe, to see if it will regain the softness and mature taste. If it does not then no big loss. The boxes we have sent are a success, wesave money and get things we cannot easily get here.

[Old55]

Worse case Kevin it would be useful to cook with so not a loss at all.

[Jack D]

My Filipina wife always fancied 'Eden Cheese' when we lived in the Philippines.

She was always shocked by how much money I'd spend on imported European cheeses at SM market.

Now, that she lives in the US and has tasted so many domestic (and imported) cheeses in the US, she claims that she'd never go back to eating 'Eden Cheese' again.

[sonjack2847]

On 11/28/2020 at 6:12 PM, Snowy79 said:

I've been there also.  The cheese came grated and I sprinkled it onto my pizza.  The finished article looked like it had fries on top.  The cheese had dried out and turned crispy just like three day old overcooked fries. 

I made cheese on toast and this cheese melted fine. Yours must have been older I guess.

[sonjack2847]

I had more cheese delivered in January. It had sweated quite a bit. I take it from the ref each day and turn it, the liquid warms up and does seep back into the block. This makes it softer and more tasty. Si all in all not a bad thing to send cheese in a balikbayan box.

[Tommy T.]

On 12/1/2020 at 6:25 AM, sonjack2847 said:

I have just tasted this cheese without anything with it. When it was sent it was mature cheddar I would now put it at a medium and it is a bit crumbly. I have some more coming at the end of this year so I will put that (unopened) in the ref for a month ,maybe, to see if it will regain the softness and mature taste. If it does not then no big loss. The boxes we have sent are a success, wesave money and get things we cannot easily get here.

Maybe this info is way out of date?

Many years ago I bought cheese from Washington State University (Wazoo). They have a dairy section in this institution and they made wonderful cheeses that they canned. It was extremely long life and there were several versions, mostly variations of cheddar. It was also a bit spendy, but worth it to keep cheese in the tropics on a yacht - at least for us.

As it is, I love the Australian cheeses available here now at most larger grocery stores, and especially at S & R. L will buy Eden cheese, but I can't stand it - flavour or texture.

[Queenie O.]

On 11/28/2020 at 4:57 PM, Jollygoodfellow said:

Speaking of cheese. The other day I made a pizza. Imported mozzarella and decided to put some Philippines shredded cheddar cheese on top as well. The cheddar didn't even melt. What sort of fake cheese is that? 

Agreed. Local cheese and some cheeses that we (my husband) purchased in Metro in Bogo City during this tome by mistake from China, were like plastic. They didn't melt, and upon reading the wrapper, found out all kinds of weird colors and ingredients. Into the trash it went. He was tricked because it was called "Danes".  Imported cheese found even at Metro from Italy, France, New Zealand etc. are great. Of course Cebu City has lots of great cheese and deli too.

[graham59]

I use the jars of Danes (processed....as with Eden) Cheese spread.

It is made in the Philippines.  

These products are not 'real' cheese of course...but similar to the more familiar Kraft Dairylea 'processed' cheese spreads.  Fine for my sandwiches. along with sliced tomatoes, onions, etc. 

.

 

[sonjack2847]

On 2/12/2021 at 10:42 AM, Queenie O. said:

Agreed. Local cheese and some cheeses that we (my husband) purchased in Metro in Bogo City during this tome by mistake from China, were like plastic. They didn't melt, and upon reading the wrapper, found out all kinds of weird colors and ingredients. Into the trash it went. He was tricked because it was called "Danes".  Imported cheese found even at Metro from Italy, France, New Zealand etc. are great. Of course Cebu City has lots of great cheese and deli too.

Now and then we can get some really nice food here but the supply is erratic, plus people bulk buying and hoarding. This is why we started BB boxes not just for cheese but other things we cannot easily source here.