Kerry Kaylegian, assistant research professor of dairy foods and extension specialist in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, was inducted into the Guilde Internationale des Fromagers New World Chapter on July 28 in a ceremony held in association with the American Cheese Society's annual meeting in Pittsburgh.
The Penn State Berkey Creamery took home a slice of the glory in the Cheese Competition held during the Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg last month.
When it comes to artisanal cheese making, Pennsylvania is not Vermont, concedes Kerry Kaylegian, but the dairy foods extension specialist in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences is doing what she can to put the Keystone State on the cheese-making map.
Consuming dairy cheese instead of other sodium-laden foods may actually protect against some of sodium’s effects on the cardiovascular system, such as high blood pressure, according to researchers at Penn State. The researchers say the protection comes from antioxidant properties of dairy proteins in cheese.
Farmstead and artisan dairy processors and others interested in cheese are invited to take a short course presented by Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences in which they can learn about the ingredients and processes used to make specialty cheese.
Americans are eating more cheese than ever before, says Kerry Kaylegian, Penn State dairy foods research & extension associate, but in recent years Americans have developed a taste for artisanal cheeses that offer more distinctive and nuanced flavors than the standard varieties of a decade or two ago.
Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, Kerry Kaylegian was fond of cheese. That changed during a trip to New York City when she was 14, and she developed a passion for cheese. Now a dairy research and extension associate in the Department of Food Science at Penn State, Kaylegian has built a national reputation as a judge in cheese competitions.
Cheese making certainly has become an art, especially with the increasing desire of cheese makers to create their own unique product. With rising interest among consumers in knowing where their food comes from and who makes it, standing out matters.
Cheese making is a complex process involving many factors that must be considered -- it's not as easy as simply looking up a recipe on the Internet. If you are serious about making fine cheese, you likely need some help. A short course, The Science and Art of Cheese Making, will be held today through Oct. 24 in the Food Science Building.
A food scientist in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences will be one of the judges for the 2012 World Championship Cheese Contest in Madison, Wis., March 5-7.
Penny Kris-Etherton, distinguished professor of nutrition at Penn State, and her research team are conducting a study that examines the effects of different types of cheese on cholesterol. Study participants need to be healthy, nonsmoking adults between 21 and 50 years of age with mildly elevated LDL cholesterol who are not taking cholesterol-lowering medication. Subjects will be provided with three ounces of cheese daily for eight weeks to be included as part of their normal diets. At the completion of the study all participants will receive lab results and compensation of $50. Those interested in learning more about the study should call 866-778-3438 or e-mail Emily Insetta and eri5007@psu.edu, mention the cheese study and leave a name and a contact number.
