In between the Superdome power outage, Beyonce's killer performance, and oh yeah, that nail-biting football game, I noticed an abundance of farm and dairy-themed commercials last Sunday night. Some were funny, some were powerful, and some were just downright weird. Watch all the advertisements below, and let us know which one was your favorite!

Pepsi Next: Party

It's that time again! Time to pen your poetic verses on the subject all of us know and love: cheese. That's right, our annual Valentine's Poetry contest is officially underway! We're appreciative of any style -- send us your haikus, free verse, limericks, sonnets, pantoums, whatever. Silly or serious, we'll take it, as long as it's inspired, and full of cheesy goodness (or hilarity, irony, declarations of love, whatever).

To submit your poem, sign in or sign up for the website, and leave a comment on this blog! All entries must be received by Monday, February 11th. The lucky winners will recieve a Fresh Goat Cheese Heart from Coach Farm (pictured). Need some inspiration? Check out last year's winners.

Good luck!

I am fairly upfront about the fact that I don’t cook very often. So, why am I naming the 5 best recipes I’ve come across in 2012? Because I really, really like to eat. So, without further ado, and in no particular order…

Crab-Stuffed Jalapeños

Photo by André Baranowski

The World Cheese Awards are happening RIGHT NOW in Birmingham, UK, and our own Kate Arding is reporting straight from the judges floor! While we anxiously await more first-hand accounts, get the award results live on your phone with this app. The results will be posted tomorrow, November 28th, so install the app ASAP if you want to stay on top of the World Cheese Awards!

To install the app, follow these simple instructions:

1. Type the following into the web browser on your smartphone, not on your computer: www.worldcheeseawards.com
2. Save the app to your home screen on your device
3. Press Add to Home Screen
4. Give the app a name of your choice (e.g. World Cheese Awards)

That's it!

On a drizzly fall evening, Stephanie, Eilis, and I schlepped through Cambridge to visit central bottle wine + provisions, and let me tell you, it was worth braving the weather.

After a brief tour of the facilities, we were entertained with three separate wine and cheese pairings. Cabra La Mancha, an aged goat’s milk cheese with an unbelievable texture, was paired with a 2011 Muscadet. My favorite cheese of the three, the buttery and luscious Kind of Blue from Woodcock Farms, was paired with a sweet 2005 Vouvray. Finally, a garlicky, creamy Fromage Fort made from cheese odds and ends topped a soft baguette, and was paired with a 2011 Lagrein Rosé.

I'm a Bostonian through and through. I'm loyal to the sports, the seafood and I've never been to Cheers. New York is not a place I'm often comfortable with visiting. It's too big, and frankly, I don't know what to do with a city whose planning actually makes sense. That said, there's one thing that calls me back again and again: the food. New York is arguably the best city in the United States when it comes to dining out, and whether you're craving a fresh salad or lamb on a skewer, New York can suit your needs.

In the middle of a cool, drizzly day, three of us from Culture Magazine (Stephanie, Eilis and myself) took a little field trip to the Concord Cheese Shop in Concord, Massachusetts. Driving from our office in Somerville, it felt as if we were entering the countryside for a vacation, a nostalgic feel that continued into the shop itself.

Tiny, wooden and old-timey, the Concord Cheese Shop certainly gives that old-fashioned feeling. A large wine collection engulfs the back end of the store, packed with careful selections. Taste rules over brand in this shop, so count on finding many new and unique bottles. The shop’s sommelier also has a bit of an affinity for Rosé, so if you find yourself craving something light in February, stop by—they stock a variety of pink wines year-round.

Last Friday afternoon my wife and I drove into Cambridge, Massachusetts to pick up dinner. On the menu: cheese, a crusty bread, and any other specialty foods that caught our eye. We luckily found parking right outside of our destination—Formaggio Kitchen.

Although we aimed to get there a little earlier, my scattered brain and rush hour traffic put us at shopping an hour before closing time. It was fairly busy, and with everyone milling about in their coats it was a little cramped at times. Nevertheless, the staff remained enthusiastic, knowledgeable and genuinely excited to see customers. They offered us samples of cheese, salami and wine, ready to answer any question.

Although I’m a Leo, I really despise being the center of attention. Like, really despise it. I take-an-F-on-a-presentation-so-I-don’t-have-to-speak-in-front-of-the-class despise it. So, it’s easy to understand why I haven’t had a traditional birthday party in over ten years. Don’t get me wrong; I like celebrating my birthday (i.e. I like free stuff), but anyone, even people I love, singing a bizarre, repetitive children’s song makes me want to scamper upstairs and hide under the bed like a dog frightened of thunder.

“Regardless of any budget I may have put myself on in the past, there are three things I can always rationalize spending money on: good coffee, good alcohol and good cheese.” I wrote that a few years ago, when I was a poor college student, and it still rings true today, now that I’m a poorer college graduate. I received my B.F.A. in Creative Writing with a minor in Gender Studies from University of Maine at Farmington last May. I’ve spent my time between then and now living in Phillips, Maine, a tiny, rural town of 1,000 nestled in the mountains. I also got married and worked in the kitchen of a seasonal Maine inn.