As promised, I’ll share my Valentines Day cooking adventure. Instead of cooking for one special someone, I helped run around for about twenty hungry companions. A friend, chef/ owner of Nudel Restaurant, and I collaborated on a cheese inspired Valentine’s Day tasting. Besides chopping and slinging sauté pans, I took the honor of picking out 4 contrasting and unique domestic cheeses from Rubiner’s...

For my blog post this time around I was debating either cheese themed super bowl fare (Wisconsin being a cheese mecca and all) or cheese on Valentines Day. Although I am perhaps quick to the punch for Valentines Day, I am not much of a football guy; I have no bias towards any particular team or any cheese producing state for that matter. I hope my masculinity will not be jeopardized.

Everyone associates Valentine’s Day with chocolate but-- what about cheese?!? I like the idea of selecting 3-4 cheeses for you and your valentine to enjoy before, after or even as an alternative to a reservation at that ‘fancy pants’ restaurant. Do a little homework. Pick a few unique and contrasting cheeses with the help of your local cheese monger to wow your taste buds (and your date, of course). Even go as far as reading

This past week were the first (dun—duh- dun) photo shoots of 2011 culture magazine and I had the pleasure of being beside it all.

First off: (day one)

We shot a flavored cheese feature. Among were a few common and widely known flavors for cheese and a few lesser known and unique flavors as well (see pictures). My roll as the intern

My earliest memories of home made food came from my Babci (Polish for grandmother) when I was around 10 years old. My grandmother used to make such specialties as pierogi (stuffed dumplings) and galumki (cabbage rolls) on a regular basis, especially around the holidays. I remember us sitting at the kitchen table pinching the little dumplings shut with floured fingers and later eating them; each with a golden fried crust and a black peppery bite (oh, and while watching the 'Price is Right' on the television).

This time around I want to share a few of my other favorite cheese and food websites..

I thought the saying goes- "Don't name what you are going to eat". (Most) farmers who raise pigs, cows, or chickens for food wouldn't name them Daffy, Henrietta, Bessie or any other proper name for the fact that they are a food source and not a pet: a situation in which emotional attachments are difficult (not to offend any vegetarians or pet cow owners). Cheese seems to break this rule. Some will argue that cheese is a living thing (or a slowly dying thing) and therefore one must care for it from inoculation through maturation- correct? With names like Pierre Robert, Dafne, Rupert, or Moses I wonder how far these emotional attachments go with the cheese and its 'maker'.

Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Austin and I currently hold the title of Culture’s Production Intern. What really is involved in my role with the magazine? A great glimpse of just about every area of the magazine from the photo shoots, to sourcing ingredients or props, web content, and helping to ‘dispose’ of absurd amounts of cheese.