A merry, cheesy Christmas!

What do you do when you have goats in your farm?  You either slaughter them and sell them as goat’s meat or bottle their milk for commercial purposes. The smarter thing to do is to learn how to make cheese with goat’s milk and have a continuing business for future generations to inherit.

This is exactly what Olive Puentespina and her husband Dr. Roberto Puentespina (a certified veterinarian who makes sure the goats are virus-free) ventured into.  They set up Malagos Foods Inc. and  started to manufacture cheese in their farm in Davao City.  Unknown to most consumers, these cheeses are served in most of the hotels and restaurants nationwide. 
During the 18th anniversary of Marco Polo Davao, a wide variety of delicious cheeses was served in the cocktail buffet.

The guests were informed with pride by the hotel staff  that all the cheeses served were supplied locally by Malagos Foods Inc., located right there in the city of Davao.   The hotel’s director of sales and marketing, Pearl Maclang, made sure to bring us to the Malagos Farm the next day so we could see for ourselves the source of those wonderful cheeses.
A sea of red poinsettias was a feast to the eyes as we entered the property.  The Puentespina family grows flowers and vegetables as well.  Olive, the artisan cheesemaker, excitedly took us around before settling us in her VIP room for a cheese-tasting feast. 
Before she perfected her 20-plus variety of cheeses, she explained that she had to undergo a lot of experimentation.

She started her passion in 2005 when a colleague at the UP Los Baños Dairy Training and Research Institute taught her how to make feta cheese.  Her first attempt was a flop, the cheese was too salty.  After countless  experiments,  her critics, composed of family and friends, finally gave her the thumbs-up!  A well-meaning friend  presented it to the Cheese Club of the Philippines and came back with the good news that her feta was chosen Cheese of the Month.   Her feta made its debut at Manila Polo Club in September, 2006.   Encouraged by the success of her feta cheese, she moved on to create other cheese flavors made from goat’s milk and cow’s milk.

“My cheeses are made from fresh milk, harvested daily from our dairy farm or from partner farms.  Each cheese is made with less than six ingredients, no preservatives or extenders. “

During the cheese tasting, she served us an array of different cheeses that her farm manufactures.  She has at present between 20 and 25 varieties.  We savored every morsel of her cheeses — I think she was shocked but delighted at our voracious appetites!  We critiqued each cheese with every bite we took and rated them as “favorite” to “ least favorite.”  Here is a shortlist of my favorites which, coincidentally are also her bestsellers.

1. La Maria, a local version of the Camembert, is made from cow’s milk, cream, salt, cheese starters, rennet (an ingredient that causes the protein in the milk to form a curd) and white mold for the rind.  Calcium is added to strengthen the structure of the cheese which weakens from pasteurization.

2. Chèvre is made from goat’s milk, starters, rennet, and salt.  She has expanded her chèvre line and has other flavors.  Chevre mango, pineapple or pesto are delicious and also a favorite of many.

3. Rustico is inspired by Gouda and Emmental and is made from cow’s milk, cheese starters, salt, and rennet.

4. Pesto Sublime is made from both goat and cow’s milk and is seasoned with basil for a creamy, tangy taste.

5. Mango Sublime is made from a blend of cow’s and goat’s milk and is seasoned with dried mangoes from Davao.
Real cheese comes from fresh milk (cow and goat) and have three to six ingredients only.

Handmade artisan cheeses, like those produced by Malagos Farms, are loaded with a lot of healthy goodness.  Even lactose-intolerant people can enjoy cheese. Natural aged cheese such as cheddar, Parmesan, Blue, and Swiss can be digested by many people with lactose intolerance as the cream and lactose contents are lower than the soft, creamy cheeses like Camembert and chèvre.

The Health Benefits Of Cheese

1. Cheese is rich in protein for muscle strength.

2. It is loaded with calcium for bone density. We need calcium to avoid osteoporosis.

3. Cheese contains vitamin B 12 for the essential function of the nervous system.

4. Fat in cheese (right portion) is essential in producing sex hormones.

5. It is rich in zinc for proper functioning of the immune and digestive systems, control of diabetes, reduction of stress levels, energy metabolism, healing for acne and wounds.

6. Cheese has magnesium that helps maintain normal muscle and nerve function, keeps heart rhythm steady, strengthens bones, helps regulate blood sugar levels, promotes normal blood pressure.

7. It has riboflavin or B2, which is what the body uses to metabolize fat and protein and to convert carbs into the glucose the cells require for energy.

8. Vitamin A is a powerful antioxidant that plays a critical role in maintaining healthy vision, neurological function, healthy skin, strong bones, and supporting immune function, and it is plentiful in cheese.
The Dietary Guidelines of doctors recommend that individuals from age nine and older consume at least three servings of milk, cheese or yogurt each day for healthy bones.  If you cannot take milk or yogurt, cheese is your best option.  It is not only nutritious but delicious as well.

Having Aparty? Have A Cheese Buffet

Making a cheese platter is so easy to serve for your unplanned, instant dinner parties. Put your variety of cheeses in the center of a platter and serve with crackers or melba toast.  You may cube the hard cheddar and Parmesan cheeses and put toothpicks on them for a mess-free appetizer. A fruit plate on the side could complement the cheeses.
Take note, hard cheeses have lower calories than the soft, creamy variety.

Needless to say, cheese pairs very well with wine and, as the saying goes, a glass of red wine a day keeps the heart doctor away.

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For interested parties in Manila, call Karin Roellii  at 892-8286 or go to their website at www. malagosfarmhouse.com.