On Inauguration day, Cornell University's Arts Quad will become an "oedible complex" in honor of a classics scholar.
An Olympian feast of Empire apples, Cornell apple cider and Cornell New York state sharp cheddar cheese will be spread out in a buffet developed by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences for about 2,500 students, faculty, staff and guests, from 1 to 2 p.m. Topping off this special buffet will be an ice cream dubbed Inaugural Swirl, developed by Cornell food scientists for the university's 10th president, classicist Hunter Rawlings.
"It took a little time to plan," said Eric Hallstead, manager of Cornell's food development and processing laboratory. Hallstead knows that ice cream is a sweet thing for whatever time.
"We wanted to find out President Rawlings' favorite ice cream flavor and develop something that he would like," Hallstead said. "His favorite ice cream flavor is coffee -- we have developed a chocolate-based, mocha swirl."
As everyone knows, there is no happiness where there is no ice cream. That's why Hallstead is making about 50 gallons -- enough for everyone at this special event.
The food scientist pointed out that ice cream is not the easiest food to develop -- some flavors simply do not work. For example, Hallstead said he once tried making a gin-and-tonic ice cream. His reaction: "It was horrible. It was brutal." He also developed a whiskey-sour-flavored ice cream.
"That one wasn't bad, but as an ice cream, it didn't live up to its name," he said. "Besides, that flavor was something our operation did not want to push."
One flavor of which he was particularly proud, however, was cranberry. "That one was good, but at the time we tried to make it, the cranberries were too expensive," Hallstead said. "Since I made it, food science has made inroads into better ways to handle the berries."
Hallstead, who has been at Cornell for 10 years, could be considered a "flavorian" emperor. He determined what should go into Inaugural Swirl -- and thankfully, it's a classic -- with neither milk from Magnesia nor Appian whey.
In Inaugural Swirl, he said, the "coffee flavoring tends to enhance the chocolate."
The food science laboratory has developed ice cream flavors for other special occasions at Cornell: Rocky Rhodes for the retirement of former President Frank H.T. Rhodes and Cookies-'n'-Cream for the retirement of David L. Call, former dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
And what are Cornell's all-time favorite ice cream flavors, according to Hallstead? Chocolate, Vanilla, Mint-Chocolate Chip and Cookies-'n'-Cream.
But inaugural guests cannot live on ice cream alone. About 160 pounds of New York state sharp cheddar cheese, aged more than four months and made exclusively at Cornell, also will be featured at the buffet. And adding a fruity zest to the dairy delight will be about 50 bushels of Cornell-developed Empire apples, along with the featured beverage -- fresh Cornell apple cider. Over 6,600 apples went into making more than 200 gallons of the sweet cider -- a blend of at least four New York apple varieties.
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, with the Agricultural Research Station in Geneva, also will have an apple exhibit in the breezeway between Roberts and Kennedy halls from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. There will be a tasting, featuring five apple varieties, all developed at Geneva and Cornell. Included will be the Fortune apple, the newest variety, which debuted this fall. The exhibit also will include such Cornell-developed classics as Jonagold, Macoun, Empire and Cortland apples.
But, what if all you can do is think about the ice cream? How many calories are in a serving of the magnificent mocha-flavored Inaugural Swirl? Is the flavor too plain?
Said Hallstead: "It's a celebration. You don't have to worry about it."
And, as Thucydides wrote: "We cultivate the mind. We are lovers of the beautiful, yet simple in our tastes. . . ."
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