Everyone, of course, has their favorite flavor of ice cream. But what about the newly christened leader of New Mexico’s 137-year-old land-grant institution?
Look no further than the caramelized pecan- and biscotti concoction developed for New Mexico State University President Valerio Ferme by researchers from NMSU’s Center of Excellence in Sustainable Foods and Agricultural Systems, or CESFAS.
The creamy vanilla ice cream pays homage to Ferme’s Italian heritage and new ties to New Mexico, a top pecan-producing state. It’s called The Ferme Paradox and made its public debut earlier this month to enthusiastic praise from Ferme after weeks of research and development by a team headed by Sergio Martinez-Monteagudo.
“This ice cream is wonderful, of course – but it’s much more than that,” Ferme said. “It’s a brilliant way to showcase the incredible consumer-driven food science research being done in our College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences and to make hands-on learning fun and engaging for our graduate students.”
Martinez-Monteagudo, an associate professor of food bioprocessing, conducts research to improve the quality of ice cream and reduce waste in its production. His projects have received funding from more than a dozen companies, including Blue Bell Creameries and Blue Bunny Ice Cream. He joined NMSU in 2020 and serves dual faculty appointments in the College of ACES and College of Engineering.
Last fall, after the NMSU Board of Regents selected Ferme to lead NMSU, Martinez-Monteagudo pitched the ice cream during a meeting to gather ideas to raise awareness of CESFAS and the Food Science and Technology program. CESFAS, a state-funded research institute, seeks to advance sustainable agriculture through interdisciplinary research.
“It was just an informal idea, and we laughed about it,” Martinez-Monteagudo said. “But we started taking it seriously after the director of the center, Dr. Omar Holguín, told us, ‘OK, let’s do this.’”
With a team of six graduate students from the Food Science and Technology and Chemical Engineering programs, Martinez-Monteagudo began formulating the ice cream. The team worked in the ACES food science dairy lab over winter break and tested eight flavors before two top contenders emerged: the pecan-and-biscotti option that eventually became The Ferme Paradox and a cookies-and-cream variation called Aggies ’n Cream.
“We all preferred the ice cream with pecans and biscotti and started playing around with the details of the final formulation until the week of the event,” he said.
Once the recipe met Martinez-Monteagudo’s standards, his students prepared nearly 25 liters of the ice cream for the Feb. 6 unveiling and tasting event in Gerald Thomas Hall. He describes The Ferme Paradox as a premium ice cream with a fat content between 10% and 12%, which accounts for its extra creamy texture.
