Kraft Foods almost ruined cheese balls.
I discovered the corporation discontinued selling Roka Blue Cheese, a staple in a classic Kraft recipe. Roka Blue was packaged in those little jars that mom used to scrub and reuse to serve grape juice with our Malt-O-Meal.
I was equally shaken in July when Baskin-Robbins announced it dropped its French Vanilla flavor. I’ll never look at another Banana Royale without a French Vanilla base.
The Kraft Foods cheese ball base included jars of Roka Blue and Old English. Some 30 years ago, my sister shared the ingredients that I simply spoon into a dip bowl.
You don’t have to roll it in crushed nuts.
My preferred method of delivery is nutless, on a Ritz cracker.
Back in 1996, there was a dearth of Roka Blue on store shelves. I could find tons of Old English, but no Roka. I contacted Kraft Foods and was told the product had become a seasonal offering.
That was doable. I took to buying a dozen jars whenever it showed up.
In 2000, Kraft heard from me again when they revamped the innards of Cheez Whiz. I wrote about it Nov. 7, 2000, “Gee whiz, they’ve gone and ruined my Cheez Whiz.”
It tasted cruddy when they modified the recipe with a new emollient to make it easier to melt. I had slathered Cheez Whiz on sandwiches since it was introduced in 1952.
The new product was tangy.
Bad tangy.
I switched from Cheez Whiz to Velveeta sandwiches for lunch.
As holidays passed one by one this year, with no Roka, I freaked when I got down to one Roka jar.
I contacted Kraft.
Someone in customer service probably got my e-mail and screamed “It’s Kristi again.”
Spokeswoman Angela Wiggens, in Illinois, broke some devastating news.
They no longer sold Roka Blue.
Through my tears, I fired back that I was certainly going to let cheese ball lovers know about this calamity.
She said I should hold off for a big fall announcement from Kraft Foods.
I played the little game for a couple of months, not expecting to hear from her again, but Wiggins was super nice and did send the following message: “We will bring back Roka Blue as a seasonal item. We’re bringing back the same product that our consumers know and love. We know our customers are passionate about Roka Blue.”
Kraft really knows how to jazz up a press release: “Consumers won’t have a reason to be ‘blue for Roka’ this holiday season.”
Hey, someone listened.
While I’m on a roll, I’ll tackle other food missions.
I need Safeway to bring back it’s diet grapefruit soda that is no longer sold in these parts. A year after it disappeared from Snohomish County shelves, I bought six-packs in Sacramento, Calif. while I was on vacation.
Safeway, don’t make me beg. I know it’s out there.
And Burger King, those bitty bun breakfast sandwiches you offered a decade ago were well received in my tummy. Eating three teensy sammies never seemed as bad as wolfing down one big sammie.
Furthermore—McDonald’s—how about putting grilled cheese sandwiches on the menu?
With Velveeta, please.
Kristi O’Harran: 425-339-3451, oharran@heraldnet.com.
Classic cheese ball recipe
Here is the classic Kraft Foods cheese ball recipe as used at my house: Mix together one five-ounce jar of Roka Blue Cheese, one five-ounce jar of Old English Cheese, one small package of cream cheese, a chunk of smashed garlic and a cube of butter.
You can serve it like a dip or roll it in nuts. Spread the concoction on a Ritz cracker and savor the wonderfulness.
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