The Spirit of Bayanihan Gets Cheesy

 If there’s one distinguishing feature about the Pinoy, it’s that they love a challenge. We have epic tales of Lam-Ang conquering various tasks and earning his place in the mythic pantheon of Filipino heroes. We sought our independence from Spain , from America and other countries that sought to subjugate us. In the 20^th century we distinguished ourselves with EDSA 1 or the first People Power Revolution. After years of preparation, not only did we have an all-Filipino team conquering Mt. Everest , but an all-Pinay team as well after a few years! These real-life victories have been underscored with a sense of joy, achievement and pride.

We also have other characteristics that define us as a nation: the achievements of our inventors and artists.  Through their creativity, originality, inventiveness, ingenuity, and innovativeness, they contributed in giving the country a sense of pride. Mr. Ramon del Rosario is the man we thank for the “karaoke”. Lea Salonga defined the title role of Miss Saigon on the West End and Broadway. Rafe Totengco conquered the hearts of fashionistas all over the world with his accessories, while Brillante Mendoza triumphed in Cannes for “Kinatay.”    

And when it comes to putting our country in the record books, imagination and resourcefulness is what will see our culinary geniuses through this particular task: crafting 5,000 (yes, FIVE THOUSAND) dishes out of cheese to best the previous Guinness world record of 4,668 set by India.

Despite the devastation wrought by “Ondoy” and “Pepeng” we have demonstrated our gifts for networking and coordinating rescue and relief efforts through various media, giving hope to the many that lost their homes during the storm. In a similar spirit we are enjoined to come together as a nation and mobilize our gifts for creating, inventing and innovating –to showcase our Filipino food culture in 5,000 dishes as a unique, wonderful and utterly tasty experience. On December 14, we will gather cooking enthusiasts, culinary students, kusineros, chefs and foodies for one battle royale featuring cheese, with Kraft Eden products demonstrating their versatility in various dishes, from the savory to the sweet.

Enhanced with creamy and nutritious buttermilk taste fortified with Lusog-Sigla nutrients, Kraft Eden cheese is the choice for any woman who aspires to show off her flair, creativity and confidence in the kitchen. From simple snacks to sophisticated  main courses, Kraft Eden cheese products can be relied upon to deliver great-tasting meals by making simple recipes extra special. Lending itself to a variety of dishes, the use of Kraft Eden cheese products is as limitless as the imagination of its user. And in the hands of some pretty creative people from various culinary backgrounds, December 14, 2009 is going to be one red-letter day as all these people work with each other in landing the Philippines in the record books with the most number of cheese dishes.

In a country that loves a fiesta, with various culinary traditions from many regions and 7,107 islands, where almost any snack worth enjoying can be improved with the addition of cheese: ensaymada, puto, bibingka, pichi-pichi –coming up with 5,000 dishes should be a piece of, well, cheese.