The Philippine Online Chronicles

What is a Pinoy Christmas without Queso de Bola? This festive ball of cheese has been gracing our local Noche Buena buffets for as long as we can remember. It may have been a Spanish influence, as it is a delicacy in Spain. Queso de Bola, though, is originally from Holland. This Dutch cheese, known as Edam cheese, has a pale yellow-orange colour and tastes saltier than the cheeses we may have grown accustomed to. More distinguished palates would say it has a slightly nutty taste and an elastic texture. I just know it tastes so darn good you can eat it many ways.

Way #1: Partner with anything slightly sweet and bitter.

The most common way to serve and eat Queso de Bola is to slice the cheese thinly. These crisp, salty bites are a perfect partner to fruits such as apples, grapes, and pears. The saltiness of the cheese is balanced by these particular fruits’ sweetness. These thin cheese slices also give any common cracker character. Top a slice of bread or cracker with Queso de Bola and you’ve got yourself a tasty snack. If you’re into nuts, you can serve Queso de Bola with walnuts. The mild taste of the cheese and the slight bitter taste of the walnuts are wickedly delightful. You’ll find yourself wanting more, more, more! Would you like some wine with that cheese? A Pinot noir or Zinfandel would be ideal.

Way #2: Just fondue it.

Fondue is an enjoyable way to cook and enjoy cheese, especially when you’re with a small group. All you need is a fondue pot and some skewers. If you don’t have any of those, don’t despair. You can do a quick sub with a medium sauce pan and barbecue sticks.

Rub a clove of garlic inside the pan – this will boost your cheese’s flavour. Then over low heat, throw in your finely grated queso de bola and let it melt slowly. To avoid curdling, you can add alcohol such as wine or beer, freshly squeezed lemon juice or apple cider. You can opt to thicken your fondue using more wine or cider. Using a wooden spoon, keep on stirring the cheese until it melts and the whole mixture becomes smooth. This is a basic fondue recipe. You can opt to throw in some additional ingredients such as milk, Worcestershire sauce or flour. I suggest you try the basic recipe first!

Pinoy blogger “Burnt Lumpia” shares his recipe for Queso de Bola fondue. Check it out here.

What do we dip in our Queso de Bola fondue? Bring out the Christmas ham, fellas! It’s time to enjoy that salty-sweet taste of Christmas. You can also dip in chunks of bread (a day old works best so it doesn’t crumble quickly),  fruits, precooked vegetables (this might just get Junior to eat his broccoli), and other precooked meats. Keep your food in bite-sized pieces such as cubes, slices or wedges.

Way #3: Turn that ball of cheese into bread.

Do you prefer having your cheese not just as a bread filling but as the bread itself? That can be done. Local foodie site Yummy.ph shares a great recipe for Cheese Bread that can make you go knocking on your neighbour’s doors for leftover Queso de Bola. Check it out here.

Way #4: Top an egg in a hole.

This is a personal favourite. I’ve prepared this recipe as a breakfast dish and it tastes great! In a pan, melt a pat of butter. While that’s melting, grab a slice of bread. Fold the bread in half and bite it in the middle. Yes, I said bite. If you’re serving others though, you can just slice a whole in the middle using a bread knife. Now place the bread on the pan, then flip when toasted. Crack an egg in the hole. When slightly set, top with grated Queso de Bola. You can flip it over again if you prefer your egg over-easy.

Way #5: Serve with your favourite salad.

Because of its salty taste, some friends have called this the cheaper version of Parmesan. It does work! Serve grated or shredded queso de bola over your favourite greens and it will heighten its taste. Tip: Add slices of fresh apple to your salad of greens and queso de bola. It’s delicious.

Do you serve your fruit salad with cheese? Forego your usual brand this Christmas and try queso de bola instead. Here’s my cheesy fruit salad recipe: In a bowl, mix cream and condensed milk. Stir in drained fruit cocktail. Add a cup of grated queso de bola cheese. Mix well, chill and serve. Can you say creamy cheesy goodness?

Way #6: Do the dip.

If you’re not into fondue, you can also prepare a quick queso de bola pimiento dip.  It’s easy peasy. Pour your favourite mayonnaise into a bowl and fold in a teaspoon of sugar and mustard. Next, fold in your grated queso de bola and a can of drained, finely chopped pimiento. Chill and serve. It’s great with crackers and chunky bread.

Way #7: I scream for ice cream!

Sebastian’s is a brand of ice cream that explores inventiveness in its flavours. Queso de Bola Ice Cream is one of their delicious innovations. It is a creamy cheese ice cream garnish with Marca Pina Edam cheese. The flavour is sharp and edgy. Maybe this Noche Buena you can take a tub home and garnish it with huge chunks of Queso de Bola. Wouldn’t that be delish?

Way #8: Choose cheesecake.

Some restaurants have Queso de Bola cheesecake on their menus. You can create your own at home! Here is my recipe for no-bake Queso de Bola cheesecake: Throw in a dozen graham crackers and some butter into a blender. Whiz till it’s crumby. This is your base, so lay out the crumbs on your serving dish. In a bowl, stir in about 60 grams of sugar into one box of softened cream cheese. Whip the cream; use double cream if you want. I use the reliable 250g all-purpose cream. Whip till the consistency is smooth. Fold in about 1 cup of grated queso de bola – use more if you want to! Pour the cheesecake mixture onto the crust and spread evenly. Chill for at least 3 hours and ta-da! It’s ready to eat. Top with even more grated queso de bola and you’ve got yourself a delicious dessert.

Way #9: Nuke it till it’s crispy.

Want to enjoy your Queso de Bola crispy? All you need is a couple of slices and your trusty microwave.  Simply lay out some cheese slices onto a microwavable plate. Make sure there’s some space in between the slices as they can expand. Put it in the microwave on HIGH for 30-45 seconds. There you have it – little queso de bola snacks. The trademark saltiness of the cheese will explode in your mouth. It’s super tasty and makes for an indulgent afternoon snack.

Nine ways with Queso de Bola – which one will you try? Bring new life into that ball of cheese with some of these recipes. They might just be so up your alley you’d want to enjoy Queso de Bola beyond the holiday season. Kain tayo!

Photo: “queso de bola” by chotda, c/o Flickr. Some Rights Reserved

Toni Tiu has loved Queso de Bola for as long as she could remember. When she was nine years old, she thought the red part of the cheese as also edible. It was her favourite part of the Queso de Bola experience. It was only many years later that she learned it was wax. Oh well. For more musings on food and life, visit her personal blog at Wifelysteps.com.