Behind The Apron: UF's J school and all it's taught me

As much as I love food, I also love a good news story. I am a telecom major after all, I i didn't like news I probably shouldn't graduate this May and enroll in business school, but I digress. The University of Florida is one of the most kick ass news and journalism colleges in the country. Trust me I know, I'm in it (brushes dirt off shoulders.) They have given me a thousand memories and invaluable experience. When I was in the news room the camera and online aspect of news were two different things. Now  WUFT news and the Center for Media Innovation and Research or CMIR work together to give stories coverage on camera and online. I used be a reporter for WUFT, now I just blog about food, but I think I've gotten the best out of the situation. I earned my experience in the news room and got to go to some pretty killer places because of it.

Internships, news stories, packages, web articles all from the UF J school. I've been very blessed and you can be too! But remember, it's not all school and projects and papers it's everything in-between. Yes I worked my ass off to get through the trials and tribulations of hard news but when i didn't need to I took in the world. Work hard and play hard. Eat incredible foods, try some new ones. Go to concerts like this one!

Utilize your schools potential and utilize your own as well. If you can do that food's pretty much the only thing you'll really need to worry about, well good food anyway. Don't go eating ramen noodles just because you've gotta 6 pager due at 8am the next day. Feed you mind and your face kids. And try chicken and waffles, it's a game changer.

Until we meet again my friends.

Shamless blog bumps part 2

In our next instalment of blog advertisements we'll touch on fashion, travel, and a inside look at he life of one of the best sorority girls I know. Close your tabs and pay attention.

As much of a lover of food I am I'm also a lover of clothes. No really, I was best dressed in high school you guys. I collect suits because I like to pretend I'm a cool lawyer with a badass name like Harvey Spector.

See! I can clean up pretty nicely and you can to if you check out Ashley Mondesir's blog My Desirable Closet. She can tell you what to wear where to get it and when to wear it. Keep yourself from looking like a slob and take a few tips from her. 

If it's a bit of travel and a good laugh you're looking for my friend Elle has that in spades. She's been in the news game longer than anyone thanks to her newsy parents but her blog is one big adventure (time?). So check it out and get the urge to go to the bahamas.

Lastly but certainly not least is a blog that gives the average human being a glimpse into the life of one of my favorite people and possibly the most fun sorority gal you'll meet. Dana Jean Winter has seen all that can be seen in the greek community here at UF. She's a blonde that'll steer you in the right direction if you're thinking of going greek. Her blog is a walkthrough of do's, don'ts and how to's for the up and coming girl making her way in a new sorority. She's got the looks and the brains people and she goes to UF so she must be doing something right. Follow her sage like wisdom and you're golden.

So take a look at these blogs and form your own opinions. Hopefully they help you out, but if they don't ask these trolls.

Shameless blog bumps

It seems like everyone these days has a blog about this that or the other. Many of them are awesome and have some great and informative content and then there's mine...Like he rest of the internet many of my friends have their own blogs. Most of them are winners in my opinion but I'm probably pretty bias so I'll let you decide.

For all you sports fans out there looking to stay on the up and up (especially with the Florida Gators) check out my friend and fraternity brother Bobby Scheppske's blog. I hear he's already being drafted to ESPN's college sports network next semester. He's the guy i would go to if I wanted to win a bunch of money creating some magical sports bracket. He's also a gentleman and a scholar.

Piggy backing off the sports talk, if you ever wanted to know what it was like to actually be a college athlete then check out my friend Stephanie Strasser. She's probably one of the hardest working people I know balancing school and her position on UF's track team flawlessly. Her blog is a blend of her time in the news room and on the track. She's also pretty easy on the eyes so follow her blog and pretend you knew her when she becomes super successful.

Another blog I like to stop in on every week or so is run by our classes most avid cinephile Monica Diaz. Monica catalogs her love of the cinema through a retelling of her adventures in hollywood or various film festivals. Her dream is to move to the city of angels one day and start a life like so many before her. And from the looks of it she's got a pretty killer shot already. You go girl.

Check these out, more to come.

Clint Holzapfel: The man behind the apron...

Often men get all existential and ask questions like "Who am I?" and "Why am I here?" Well I'm not one of those. I'f you've been following along then you're familiar with myself and my wit and charming cantor. My name Is Clint Holzapfel and Im currently an aspiring reporter at the Univeristy of Florida. But you probably already knew that. I was born and raised in the sweltering lair of Micky Mouse and rollercoasters that is Orlando Florida. I am an axe enthusiast and a skilled marksman with a rifle or bow. My only fear is of drowning so I became a competitive swimmer and water polo player (for those confuse see Water Polo.) At some point I became interested in food and television heavily and decided to embark on an endeavour to work with the Food Network or Travel Channel. I've already got a bit of experience but I'm still currently building my resume. I run this blog out of a creepy level of obsession with getting that perfect meal...and for the class it's required for. So if you like food then read some of my posts and if not go back to scrolling on reddit and eating subway.

Cheers.

What I do when I'm not ranting about food...

For those who care to know I don't blog about food professionally. I'm actually an amateur reporter working on a degree in telecommunications from the university of florida and this is all for a class. If you'd like to to know a little more regarding the mystic and culinary prowess that is Clint Holzapfel have a look. It's not entirely impressive as of yet, but food and television go together like Giada De Laurentiis and strange Italian inflections. So maybe some day I'll be the next Anthony Bourdain (fingers crossed).

So you want to look like a bad ass on the grill....

Summer is almost upon us, well in Florida anyway, and that means pool parties, bikinis, corona and lime and my favorite, grilling out. Not everyone is a natural on the grill and that's understandable but it's easier than it looks to be the cool guy with the spatula and tongs. First off don't just make burgers and hot dogs, save that for game day "bro". I'm not knocking the great american past time of flipping patties and dogs on a hot day but they don't exactly wow anyone. If you want to show off your skills you gotta spend a little extra money and you gotta go big, steak big. There's nothing quite like a well seasoned steak grilled to perfection on a charcoal grill and you can be the creator of said deliciousness if you believe, and listen to me. Now I'm no Iron Chef Bobby Flay but i can give you a Food Network worthy steak.

 First off you're going to o need... 4-6 eight ounce steaks (filets are cheap at Sam's club)
Montreal Steak seasoning
Course black pepper
Cayenne pepper
1/2 cup of bleu cheese crumbles
1/2 stick of butter 1 glove of garlic
A small bowl
Whisk or egg beater
A charcoal grill
Charcoal

 First, light your charcoal so it gets heated up.
Start cooking by seasoning your steaks.Sprinkle the montreal seasoning on both sides sparingly and do the same with the cayenne depending on how much spice you'd like (remember you're adding black pepper as well).
Next take the course black pepper and rub it into each side of every steak. This gives the steak a dry rub that can cook flavor into the meat.
Now let the dry rubbed steaks sit at room temperature until you put them on the grill.

Next take the butter and bleu cheese out of the fridge to get them closer to room temperature.
Now mince the garlic finely and throw it in the small bowl.
Take the softened bleu cheese and butter and add them in as well.
Whip all of the ingredients together until they are thoroughly mixed into a thick clumpy paste.
Toss the bowl in the fridge and grab the steaks, its time to grill.

Arrange the steaks on the grill where there's even heat.
Cook the steaks for 3 minutes on each side or longer if your homies don't like optimal flavor.
Finally throw some of that sweet sweet bleu cheese and garlic butter on those steaks for one last minute and serve em up.

 If meaty bleu cheese deliciousness isn't your think check out some of my pervious entries.

 Now grab some sunglasses and grill your ass off cool guy!

Valentine's day dessert

Wether you're planning on going out to dinner or staying in and cooking for two dessert is a must have end to any valentines day meal. You could get whatever the restaurant has for the occasion, take them to ice cream or you could make a more romantic treat. Chocolate covered strawberries are synonymous with V-day. They scream romance. If the movies say its romantic it's gotta be.



What you'll need

-1 pound of fresh strawberries

-16 ounces of milk chocolate

-2 tablespoons of shortening



If you want your Valentines day evening to end the right way follow this video. Some flowers couldn't hurt either.