Culture Magazine is proud to be a part of the artisan cheese community. This tight-knit, supportive group of individuals are a constant source of inspiration to us. During the most recent natural disasters, we were struck by the stories from those in our community coming together to help each other.
Over the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing some of these stories. This one comes from Adrianne Mingea, who lives in Houston and works on the National Team for Murray’s Cheese.
I moved to Houston from Austin a month ago because I took a job on the Murray’s National Team. As Hurricane Harvey came barreling towards the coast, I decided to head back to Austin to get out of the way of Mother Nature’s wrath. I was stuck in Austin for a week, unable to get back to my home due to flooding. I stayed glued to the TV watching the hurricane tracker, checking in on my roommate, our home, and my cheese family back in Houston. I felt totally helpless.
I decided to pick up a shift at the Capital Area Food Bank in Austin. My shift had around 100 volunteers and we spent the afternoon sorting baked goods to send to Houston and affected cities on the coast for disaster relief. It was such a cool feeling to be surrounded by people who truly just wanted to help those in need.
Adrianne Mingea
Once I returned to Houston, I linked up with a former co-worker’s aunt who had gathered a bunch of people to cook meals for first responders, hospital staff, clean-up crews, and other relief workers. We spent the weekend in someone’s home dreaming up creative (and comforting) dishes from the donated ingredients. Other volunteers came by to pick up the countless sheet pans and deliver them.
I was cooking alongside people whose very own houses had been damaged or destroyed by the hurricane, yet there they were cooking for others. It warmed my heart tremendously. And, of course, cheese was the center of every one of those delicious meals we sent out!
Have a story yourself? Send us a note at socialmedia@culturecheesemag.com and we might share it!
Photo courtesy: Adrianne Mingea, Murray’s Divisional Coordinator-Houston/Dallas Division
Erika Kubick
Erika Kubick is culture's Social Media Editor. A monger-turned-preacher, she is devoted to turning on the next generation of cheese connoisseurs with seductive recipes, pairings, and enlightenment through her blog, Cheese Sex Death— a modern guide for cheese lovers.
