superph game
superph game
“Are you guys chefs or something?” It’s a question Oliver Poilevey, Marcos Ascencio and Alex Martinez get asked a lot when they tailgate at Bears home games. They hear it while setting up their butane burners and putting the blue-and-white tablecloths on their folding tables. They hear it when doing prep work. And they definitely hear it once the various dishes — seafood paella, truffle-topped soft scrambled eggs and brioche French toast with foie gras, for example — are ready and shared with those fortunate to be nearby. No surprise then that the answer is a resounding yes. Poilevey is chef/partner at Le Bouchon, Obelix, Mariscos San Pedro and Taqueria Chingon; Ascencio is chef/partner at Mariscos and Chingon; and Martinez is chef/partner at Mariscos. ( Taqueria Chingon ‘s last day in Wicker Park is Nov. 26, but the search for a new location is underway.) Season ticket holders for the last three years, the trio regularly bring their A-game to their tailgating at the 31st Street parking lot near Soldier Field — even if the Bears don’t bring theirs. Of the three, Poilevey is the biggest Bears fan and gets the most heartbroken over the team’s losses, while Ascencio and Martinez have learned to roll with the inevitable punches. Whether they’re doing a crawfish boil, steakhouse-style fare, or whatever the three conjure up, the menu planning often begins at the previous tailgate. “We’re constantly like, ‘Hey, what should we do next week?’” says Ascencio of the informal planning, which is sometimes influenced by the team the Bears are playing, or more often by what they have on hand at the restaurants. Poilevey admits having top-notch ingredients at their fingertips is a major advantage. For a recent tailgate, the plan was to do dishes that represented all their restaurants. At the end of one Saturday night’s service, the chefs gathered last-minute ingredients for the next day’s tailgate. A large plastic bin was stocked with steaks, duck breasts, caviar, cheese, butter and chorizo. Containers of various sauces, their names and dates clearly marked on blue masking tape, went into the bin too. “You don’t want to save too much of that stuff for the day of, especially if it’s a noon game,” Poilevey says. “You’re waking up at 7 a.m. after working the night before and you will forget something.” Aiding in the preparation process is a ready-to-go kit that includes the basics — dubbed “the Bear essentials” — such as towels, knives, seasonings, wipes, cutting boards and utensils. Post-game, the kit goes back to one of the restaurants where items are cleaned and replaced as needed. An avid camper, Ascencio takes charge of the kit. Ideally, everything goes back in the box, except for that time when the salt didn’t (don’t ask). On game day, Ascencio typically arrives first as his SUV is packed with the equipment, kit and coolers. The unpacking of it resembles those circus clown cars with item after item endlessly coming out. Setup, on the other hand, looks like a race car pit change with each chef quickly organizing their respective stations. Conversation isn’t needed as they know exactly what to do. Ascencio lights the charcoal for the small Japanese grill and sets up the paella propane cooker, while Poilevey readies the snacks, such as freshly shucked oysters, pate en croute and raw tuna topped with salsa negra. “We like to have something to eat as we work,” says Poilevey, who’s also in charge of caviar bumps. “This man never leaves the house without caviar,” quips his girlfriend, Sonia Balzak. Freshly baked croissants and doughnuts grabbed from Obelix that morning are unboxed. Meanwhile, Martinez is warming up duck consommé, which will be paired with maitake mushrooms that Poilevey has thinly sliced and placed into cups for easy serving. Chicken stock for paella is warmed up on a second butane burner. Once it’s done, Martinez will get started on the soft scrambled eggs prepared in a bain-marie. Their handiwork hasn’t gone unnoticed. “You guys are fun to watch,” says Clarence Boot of Naperville, who, along with two friends, has been eyeing the chefs from their neighboring spot. “You guys are doing it right,” adds Dick Patton, also from Naperville. After the duck consommé is served — a paper cup is MacGyvered as a ladle as they forgot to bring one — Martinez gets to work on the torre de mariscos, think a multi-layered cake but with tuna, octopus, shrimp and scallops. The fish tower rests on a bed of red and green salsas and is topped with sliced avocado. Poilevey steps away from his station to help man the grill and lightly sears Wagyu steak, octopus and duck breasts. Those are topped simply with salt and sliced, making for tasty finger food. “Typically, we’re not trying to put together really complex dishes with a bunch of ingredients,” Poilevey says. “It’s more about really great product, cooked well and seasoned right.” Little by little friends and co-workers arrive, as do the Champagne splits, bottles of wine and beer. The tequila comes out later. “They all know we tailgate for home games and are invited,” Martinez says. Ascencio is now in full paella mode, methodically adding each ingredient to the large pan. There’s chorizo, mussels, shrimp, calamari and squid in addition to the rice. Chicken stock is added in waves. At 10:30 a.m., the finished product is topped with peas and drizzled with a spicy crema before being handed out to anyone who asks, including some who have gotten to know the trio from previous tailgates and search them out. “If you’re making something nice, bring enough to share,” Ascensio says. “Spreading love is what food and hospitality is about.” “Oh, paella, holy s−−−,” shouts a guy walking by. “That’s a work of art.” At the parking spot next door, Robert McClendon of Crown Point, Indiana, has been watching closely, sampling dishes here and there. Initially, he wasn’t so sure about the paella, but after trying it, he comes back for a heaping plate to bring home to his wife. “I’m glad we got parked next to them,” he says. Sharing their culinary knowledge is a big part of the chefs’ tailgating experience. “It’s not only about cooking and enjoying that but also educating too,” Martinez says. “We like to show people what we do and introduce them to new stuff.” An added bonus: Some of those folks end up visiting the restaurants. By 11 a.m. attention turns to cleanup. There is, after all, a Bears game to go to in case you forgot. Like other aspects of their tailgating, that has a system too. Early on, Ascencio sourced out where still-warm coals and garbage can be discarded, a process that’s been ongoing. Another tip? “I always tell people when they tailgate to clean as you go,” he says. Similar to setup, the breakdown is equally disciplined, although now those co-workers and friends help. Soon the only evidence of their tailgating is a small piece of octopus on the ground. Then they start their 30-minute trek to Soldier Field. So why would these chefs want to spend their day off once again cooking for others? “We don’t turn this off. It’s in our blood,” Poilevey says. “We’re chefs for a living because we love to cook and host and that carries over to all other aspects of our lives.” Lisa Shames is a freelance writer.The expanded Big Ten is poised to be a major player in this season's College Football Playoff. The 18-team conference had three of the top-four teams in the AP poll this week — No. 1 Oregon, No. 2 Ohio State and No. 4 Penn State. A one-loss Indiana team is ranked 10th but is still very much a contender to make the playoff, given how many Southeastern Conference teams have three defeats or more. Indiana's rise has been perhaps the Big Ten's biggest story this season. Much of the spotlight was on newcomers Oregon, Southern California, UCLA and Washington, but aside from the top-ranked Ducks, that foursome has struggled to impress. Meanwhile, the Hoosiers won their first 10 games under new coach Curt Cignetti before losing at Ohio State last weekend. Oregon beat Ohio State 32-31 back in October, and if the Buckeyes beat rival Michigan this weekend, they'll earn a rematch with the Ducks for the Big Ten title. And it's entirely possible another matchup between those two teams awaits in the CFP. Dillon Gabriel has quarterbacked Oregon to an unbeaten record, throwing for 3,066 yards and 22 touchdowns in 11 games. But don't overlook Iowa's Kaleb Johnson and his 21 rushing TDs, and quarterback Kurtis Rourke has been a big part of Indiana's improvement. Penn State's Abdul Carter has eight sacks and two forced fumbles and could be one of the top edge rushers drafted this year. Oregon (11-0, 8-0), Ohio State (10-1, 7-1), Penn State (10-1, 7-1), Indiana (10-1, 7-1), Illinois (8-3, 5-3), Iowa (7-4, 5-3), Michigan (6-5, 4-4), Minnesota (6-5, 4-4), Washington (6-5, 4-4), Southern California (6-5, 4-5), Nebraska (6-5, 3-5) and Rutgers (6-5, 3-5) have already reached the six-win mark for bowl eligibility. Michigan State (5-6, 3-5) and Wisconsin (5-6, 3-5) can join them. There may not be many firings in general at the top level of college football. The prospect of sharing revenue with athletes in the future might lead schools to be more judicious about shedding one coach and hiring a new one. Who should be most worried in the Big Ten? Well, Lincoln Riley is struggling to stay above .500 in his third season at USC. Purdue is 1-10, but coach Ryan Walters is only in his second season. Maryland's Mike Locksley has been there six years and his Terrapins are 4-7, but this was his first real step backward after guiding the team to three straight bowl wins. Cignetti has shown it is possible for a coaching change to push a previously moribund program to some impressive heights in a short amount of time — but the improvement has been more incremental at Michigan State following Jonathan Smith's arrival. Sherrone Moore wasn't a completely unknown commodity at Michigan after he won some massive games in place of a suspended Jim Harbaugh last year. But in his first season completely at the helm, the Wolverines have declined significantly following their national title a season ago. The Big Ten is home to one of the most dynamic freshmen in the country in Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith. He has 52 catches for 899 yards and nine touchdowns. Highly touted quarterback Dylan Raiola has teamed up with fellow freshman Jacory Barney (49 catches) to lead Nebraska to bowl eligibility. Ohio State is on track to land the Big Ten's top class, according to 247 Sports, but the big news recently was quarterback Bryce Underwood flipping from LSU to Michigan. If the Wolverines do in fact keep Underwood in his home state, that would be a big development for Moore. Get local news delivered to your inbox!November 24 - John Parker Romo made a 29-yard field goal to lift the Minnesota Vikings to a 30-27 overtime win against the host Chicago Bears on Sunday afternoon. Romo buried the game-winning kick in his third career game for Minnesota (9-2), which won its fourth game in a row. The score capped a 10-play, 68-yard drive for the Vikings after the Bears went three-and-out on the first overtime possession. Sam Darnold completed 22 of 34 passes for 330 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Vikings. Wideout Jordan Addison finished with eight catches for a career-high 162 yards and a touchdown. The overtime defeat spoiled an impressive performance from rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, who completed 32 of 47 passes for 340 yards and two touchdowns for Chicago (4-7). D.J. Moore had seven catches for 106 yards and a touchdown, and Keenan Allen finished with nine catches for 86 yards and a score. Chicago erased an 11-point deficit in the final 22 seconds of regulation to send the game to overtime. Romo had put Minnesota on top 27-16 when he made a 26-yard field goal with 1:56 remaining in the fourth quarter. Williams trimmed the Bears' deficit to 27-24 with 22 seconds to go. He rolled right and found Allen wide open in the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown, and moments later he fired a strike to Moore for a two-point conversion. The Bears recovered an onside kick on the next play to regain possession at their 43-yard line with 21 seconds left. Cairo Santos' onside kick bounced off the foot of Vikings tight end Johnny Mundt, and Tarvarius Moore recovered it. D.J. Moore put the Bears in field-goal position with a 27-yard reception across the middle of the field, and Santos made a 48-yarder as time expired to even the score at 27-all. Minnesota led 24-10 after three quarters. Romo made a 40-yard field goal early in the third quarter, and Aaron Jones punched in a 2-yard run with 1:22 left in the period to put the Vikings on top by two touchdowns. Addison and Jalen Nailor each had receiving touchdowns in the first half for Minnesota. Roschon Johnson scored on a 1-yard run for the Bears' only touchdown of the first half. Chicago trailed 14-10 at the break. --Field Level Media Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab
Trump has promised again to release the last JFK files. But experts say don’t expect big revelations
New coach Chris Holtmann has been tasked with rebuilding DePaul to the point where it can return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2004. Northern Illinois coach Rashon Burno knows what it takes to steer DePaul to the NCAAs because he was the starting point guard on the 2000 team that made the tournament -- the Blue Demons' only other NCAA appearance since 1992. Perhaps they can compare notes Saturday afternoon when Burno leads the Huskies (2-3) back to his alma mater as DePaul (5-0) hosts its sixth straight home game in Chicago. Last season, Burno's NIU squad helped accelerate DePaul's need for a new coach -- as the Huskies waltzed into Wintrust Arena and owned Tony Stubblefield's Blue Demons by an 89-79 score on Nov. 25. The Huskies built a 24-point second-half lead before coasting to the finish line. Can history repeat for NIU? There's just one problem with using last year's game as a potential barometer for Saturday's rematch: Almost no players on this year's teams were part of last year's squads. At DePaul, only assistant coach Paris Parham remains as Holtmann had the green light to bring in an all-new roster. UIC graduate transfer Isaiah Rivera (16.0 ppg, .485 3-point rate) and Coastal Carolina transfer Jacob Meyer (15.4 ppg, .406 on 3s) lead a balanced attack that focuses on getting half its shots from beyond the arc. At NIU, Burno retained only two players who competed against DePaul last year -- Ethan Butler and Oluwasegun Durosinmi -- and they combined for three points in 26 minutes in that game. The Huskies' main players used the transfer portal to join such programs as Kansas, Wisconsin, Penn State, Colorado State, James Madison, Georgia State and Niagara. With every starting job open, Butler has jumped into the lineup and produced 11.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.8 blocks and 1.4 steals per game. Transfers Quentin Jones (Cal Poly) and James Dent (Western Illinois) pace the Huskies with 14.4 and 14.0 points per game. NIU is on a two-game losing streak, most recently a 75-48 home defeat at the hands of Elon on Wednesday. Holtmann hopes to have Arkansas transfer Layden Blocker for Saturday's game. Blocker missed Tuesday's 78-69 win over Eastern Illinois with a quad injury. With the combo guard unavailable, point guard Conor Enright handed out a career-high 11 assists in a season-high 38 minutes. "We need (Blocker)," Holtmann said. "I don't want to play Conor 38 minutes." --Field Level MediaOne in five Brits pick holiday destinations in the hope of seeing a . Travel agents say ET hotspots worldwide are rocketing in popularity. A new poll has revealed 28% of Brits believe in . One in five claims already to have seen a . A quarter admit they are more likely to visit destinations known for close encounters. While one in five say they are "eager to explore UFO hotspots this year". Online travel operator Opodo has identified 35 of the world’s leading UFO hotspots to offer alien-hunters the chance to combine "stunning natural beauty" with a `history of sightings’. No1 is The Valley of Fire in Nevada, US, where there have been 18 official UFO sightings. Most are described as "fireballs" and typically orange or green. Opodo says the state park "gives an extraterrestrial feel with its vibrant hues of red and orange along with the unique rock formations creating an otherworldly atmosphere reminiscent of Mercury’s rugged terrain". It is followed by Death Valley in California which boasts 17 sightings most of which are "oval" crafts. One account describes a "UFO that splits into two and later takes off emitting a blue streak". The desert valley is one of the hottest places on Earth. Vatnajökull Glacier in Iceland boasts 14 sightings most of which are reported as crafts. Renowned for its exceptional stargazing conditions visitors can experience breathtaking displays of the Northern Lights and - on clear nights without auroras - views of the Milky Way. An Opodo spokesman said: ``Over the past few years there has been a huge surge in interest in the extraterrestrial which has been driven by a combination of recent government disclosures and technological advances. "From the US declassifying reports and videos of UFO encounters to the upcoming launch of NASA’s Europa Clipper in October 2024, which aims to explore potential signs of life on Jupiter’s moon, the fascination with space and the unknown is reaching new heights.’" The tour operator polled 1,500 UK holidaymakers in a bid to understand the growing interest in extraterrestrial experiences. "The survey revealed that 28% of respondents believe in aliens,’’ the spokesman said. "One in five state they have seen a UFO with this number soaring to one in three for those under 34-years-old. "One in five holidaymakers are eager to explore UFO hotspots this year." A third of people believe they will be able to holiday in space within their lifetime and 11% would jump at the opportunity. The planets they would be most interested in visiting include Mars (23%), Saturn (8%) and Jupiter (7%). The survey comes after US defence chiefs finally admitted UFOs are reveal - though they said they had not found any evidence the mystery craft were controlled by extraterrestrials.
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