What is Christmas without queso de bola?
You may not always remember what it tastes like, but you can never remember a Christmas without it. This Edam-inspired cheese product has become a ubiquitous part of the Pinoy holiday table, joining other Pinoy Christmas staples like holiday ham, fruit salad, and spaghetti.
With the holidays around the corner, we couldn’t think of a better time to sit down and get to know this enigmatic holiday mainstay with a little taste test.
How we tested
We purchased four of the most commonly available Queso de Bola products from different supermarkets.
The team tested each brand based on the following criteria:
- Fullness of Taste. The indulgence of one bite. Does it make a good first impression—a creamy, full bite that makes us want to come back for more?
- Meltability. The ability of the cheese to melt down when placed on direct heat. Can the cheese be broken down into a finer, cream-like form on its own, or does it need the help of other products? (Unfortunately, all the cheeses we tested didn’t really do well here, and ended up toasting while under direct heat.)
- Versatility. How well the cheese works with both sweet and savory recipes. Will the brand make a good cheese substitute in savory recipes like mac and cheese, or work better in sweet recipes like classic ensaymada?
Based on our results, we’ve assigned each brand a flavor profile that helps describe it best.
Cheesy, Kid-Friendly Flavor: Danes Queso de Bola
Its bright yellow-orange color and mild, agreeable saltiness makes Danes the most kid-friendly of our queso de bola options. On top of that, it’s also the most affordable brand on this list.
We found that Danes shines best when used with savory dishes. You’ll enjoy its creamy texture for snacking, shredding atop nachos, or turned into a delicious cheese dip.
