At the World Cheese Awards, held in Norway, where 4502 types of cheese from 5 continents and 43 countries participated, "Aged Gömeç Kirli Hanım Cheese" was awarded the bronze medal as the third among the world's best cheeses, with the evaluation of 264 jury members. Kirli Hanım Cheese, which won the bronze medal, is a type of cheese that is almost forgotten in the Gulf, especially in the Ayvalık region, and has its own story of emergence.
Within this context, as IGU, we invited Mehmet Özgü Manisalı, who brought this cheese back to light and made it known through his company. At the event titled "In Pursuit of Taste: Balıkesir Kirli Hanım Cheese" held on March 5, 2024, Mr. Manisalı shared the birth of the award-winning cheese and the story of its rediscovery with the participants. Manisalı, who has expertise in different fields of gastronomy, shared his experiences in the production of olive and olive oil products as well as cheese production and the tasting analysis of these foods to our students. The event, held in E Block Tusi Conference Hall, ended with student questions and answers and the presentation of a plaque to our guest.
