The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, February 24, 1994, Image 3

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Thursday, February 24,1994
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The Battalion
Page 3
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Dairy Products Lab chums out more than
milk and ice cream, general manager says
By Claudia Zavaleta
The Battalion
more than 40 years, Texas A&M's Dairy
/“■ Products Lab has been serving students ice
r cream, milk and more importantly, an educa
tion.
Hector Astorga, general manager of the cream
ery, said the Dairy Products Lab has been used as a
teaching and research facility by the food, dairy and
animal science departments.
"The creamery not only creates products," Astor
ga said, "but it is a place for learning also. Students
can have hands-on experience in dairy technology
and learn how to manage different types of dairy
A&M's Rosenthal Meat Science and Technology
Center on the west side of campus sells products
from the dairy.
products."
Astorga said the creamery, which was started in
the 50s, originally produced all dairy products for
the University. But as enrollment increased, the de
mand grew too large for the Dairy Products Lab to
handle.
"Everything we make is still for use on campus,"
he said. "But now, our main product is milk. All the
milk used in the cafeterias is from the creamery."
Food Services buys about 3,000 gallons of choco
late, skim and whole milk per week from the cream
ery, and other products are also sold at the Rosen
thal Meat Science and Technology Center (RMSTC)
on west campus.
Four types of cheeses such as natural cheddar,
processed jalapeno cheddar and cheddar spreads
are sold at Rosenthal. Butter, quarg (a type of cot
tage cheese) and ice cream are also popular cream
ery products.
Jeanne Walker, storekeeper for the RMSTC, said
the store usually carries at least eight varieties of ice
cream.
"Sometimes the creamery makes seasonal fla
vors," Walker said. "Last fall, they made kahlua
toffee, and now they have almondine. Butter pecan
is the all-time favorite."
The secret of the ice cream's popularity. Walker
said, is the quality of the products. During the sum
mer months, for example, hundreds of cones and
shakes are sold each day.
"The creamery doesn't cut the standards to com
pete with the outside markets," Walker said. "The
prices and the quality are much better."
Whitney Etchison, a senior speech communica
tions major, said the ice cream has become some
what of a tradition for her and her dad.
"My dad loves to go there," Etchison said.
Hector Astorga, general manager of the Dairy
Products Lab, prepares the machine that is
"Every time he comes to visit me he makes me take
him on campus to buy some ice cream."
The products, including the ice cream, are first
generated as teaching aids, and then sold to the
public.
Astorga said although the creamery is a non
profit organization, it usually breaks even; and any
profit generated through sales are used for workers'
wages, equipment and processing supplies.
The research done at the creamery is funded by
grants and scholarships from major contributors,
such as Blue Bell, the National Dairy Board and the
Mid-America Dairymen Inc.
Currently, the creamery is involved in research
ing accelerated cheese ripening which tries to create
the aged flavor without a lot of time. Flavor en
hancement for various products and taste-testing
panels are other projects underway.
These programs are handled by graduate stu
dents, but half of the daily production staff is made
of undergraduate students.
Astorga, a senior agricultural engineering stu
dent, has worked at the creamery for three years,
two as a student worker and one as the manager.
"The creamery staffs seven workers total," Astor-
Photos by Kyle Bumett/THE Battalion
responsible for folding, filling and sealing one-
gallon milk cartons.
ga said. "It is a small operation, but it is so auto
mated now that the machines take care of most
everything."
Students use the creamery during four different
food science courses. In these courses, students
learn how to come up with formulas, additives and
preservatives for dairy products.
"They come here, not only to see what we do,"
Astorga said, "but also to actually learn how to
manufacture it themselves."
Aylin Karayel, a senior food science major, said
working at the creamery gave her the chance to
practice all she had learned about dairy production.
"Last semester, I had a milk class and I helped
out at just about everything," Karayel said. "Since
it's a small creamery, you can get hands-on experi
ence at every level."
Students thinking of going into the dairy indus
try, Karayel said, should consider working at the
creamery because it provides good insight into
dairy production.
Walker said the learning aspect of the center is
the only reason they have products to sell.
"All products are generated through teaching,"
she said. "That's all we're here for."
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Local Jewish community prepares for colorful celebration of Purim
By Paul Neale
The Battalion
4/
I Combining the shouts and noisemak-
| ers of New Year's with the masquerading
of Halloween, the Jewish holiday Purim
■*: commemorates Queen Esther's deliver
ance of the Jews from Haman's genocide
scheme.
At the center of the festivities is the
reading of the book of Esther from the
Bible. Whenever Haman's name is read
aloud, the celebrants, some of which are
[ifiressed up as Esther, drown out the vil
lain's name with shouts and noisemakers.
The raucous, colorful holiday is popu
lar with Jewish children.
"It's essentially a children's holiday,"
said Reuben Ehrlich, vice president of re
ligious affairs for the Hillel Jewish Stu
dent Association. "We celebrate Purim
because it's fun to be a kid again.
Fun and games are a big part of Purim,
but at its core is the courage and purpose
in defending the Jewish religion.
"It's a celebration of religious freedom
and perseverance," Ehrlich said.
According to the book, the villain of
the story, Haman, plotted a massacre of
all the Jews in the Persian Empire instead
of taking revenge on one man. This
prideful prime minister plotted genocide
when Mordecai failed to bow down to
Haman because of his Jewish beliefs.
To gain King Ahasuerus' backing,
Haman told the king that the Jews break
the king's laws and abide by their own.
The king, unaware that Esther was a Jew
and trusting his prime minister's judg
ment, ordered Haman's scheme to be car
ried out. Haman fixed the extinction date
of the Jews by lot, or objects used in mak
ing a choice by chance.
However, through her bravery and her
wisdom, Esther foiled Haman's plan and
Haman himself was killed. Mordecai be
came prime minister in Haman's place.
Purim, or the Feast of Lots, celebrates
Esther's bravery against hate.
"It symbolizes the fight against preju
dice today," said Rabbi Peter Tarlow of
the Hillel Jewish Student Association.
"Groups must learn to live' together."
Tarlow said Haman represents the evil
of every generation. Saddam Hussein, a
present-day Haman, was defeated on
Purim in 1991. Hillel President Melissa
Weiner said Purim is an important time
to celebrate because the Jewish people
were delivered from genocide similar to
what is going on in Bosnia.
Jews consider Esther to be a legend
like many other books in the Bible and do
not necessarily consider it to be truth.
Jews regard the first five books of the
Bible, or the Pentateuch, to be true.
Although Purim is today. The Hillel
Jewish Student Association will celebrate
this year's Purim at a lock-in Friday night.
The association has invited students from
all over Texas this year to join in the fes
tivities.
In keeping with tradition, the book of
Esther will be read at the lock-in and cele
brants will have a chance to dress up in
improvised costumes created from news
papers. Alcoholic beverages and Haman-
taschen, triangular cakes filled with fruit,
are standard refreshments at Purim fes
tivities. The shape of the cakes represent
Haman's three-sided hat. This year, the
HJSA will include a southwestern twist to
the festivities: a pihata — with a triangu
lar hat, of course.
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An Evening
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Musical Brilliance
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I he city of Bonn has a definite ~ "J;
place in musical history, having reared ^
such geniuses as Beethoven and Schumann.
But the city has also adopted the famed Orchester
der Beethovenhalle Bonn.
Under the direction of Dennis Russell Davies, the 122-member German orchestra will open
its United States tour at Texas A&M University with traditional works by Beethoven, Wagner and
more. In addition, world-renowned pianist Vladimir Feltsman will demonstrate why he has been
recognized as one of the greatest musical talents of the post-war era.
March 7,1994 • 8:00 p.m. • Rudder Auditorium
Tickets are on sale at the MSC Box Office - TAMU,
/fTiDA C or c ^ ar & e pl 10ne at 845-1234
Come of age with MSC OPAS... and see the world in a new light
L Persons with disabilities please call 845-1515 to inform us of your special needs. We request notification three
O- (3) working days prior to the event to enable us to assist you to the best of our ability.
I’m telling you, J3., if you want
to ehake your bootie, The Globe
ia the only place to go!
Do we have a weekend for you! Tonight is Ladies Night: $2.50
frozen, $1.75 Zimas, $1.25 longnecks all night long, 50<t bar
drinks and $1.50 pitchers 8-10, FEM 2 FEM TICKET
GIVEAWAY! Friday night, you get your choice. You can go to
The Globe and dance like you always do, OR, you can see three
live acts, OR you can do both! Fem 2 Fem will be here with
opening acts Division of Beat and Channel 69. Tickets at The
Globe and Marooned Records, $8 in advance, $10 at the door.
Ticket price includes admission to the club. If you don’t want to
see the show, the usual kick-butt music mix will be going on all
night in the club! Saturday, it’s the Global Mix live on Mix 104.7!
Thurs, Fri, & Sat: 50<t bar drinks, $1.50pitchers,
and no cover 8-10. No cover for 21 and up until
midnight. Great drink specials all night, every night!
Say the secret password, 'grunties, ” and get a really
strange look from the Security guys!
Call 76-GLOBE for more info
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