Love & Football 020922

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Love & Football Winter 2022

Local suggestions for a super weekend of Romance & Rooting

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Combine Rooting and Romance in the kitchen

This year, the Super Bowl falls on Valentine’s Day weekend and we have some creative ways to combine love and football

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homecooked meal is a fine way to show the love in your life how much you care and these recipes give a nod to the big game. Be sure to shop locally for the ingredients for use in these recipes. Cheers!

MELISSA ELSMO Cheer for Food Writer

Cincinnati!

Cincinnati-style chili is undeniably special and altogether crave-worthy — the sweet-spice laden dish is a regional specialty and perfect gameday fare for the sweetie in your life. Since the city’s football team is headed to the Big Game next weekend try whipping up a batch of this customizable chili to show your favorite fan how much you love them! Be sure to begin preparing this dish the day before you plan to serve it.

Cincinnati Chili (serves 10) Ingredients: 6 Cups of water 2 pounds of ground chuck 8 garlic cloves, smashed and minced

1 large onion finely chopped 2 ½ Tablespoons cider vinegar 1 ½ Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 14.5-ounce can of tomato sauce 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons chili powder 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon ground allspice 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper ½ teaspoons ground cloves 2 bay leaves 1-ounce of baking chocolate, grated Garnishes: cooked spaghetti, grated sharp cheddar cheese, diced white onion, and dark red kidney beans, hot sauce, oyster crackers and mini hot dogs in buns.

Instructions: Bring the water to a boil. Whisk in the raw meat taking care to break it up well. Lower the heat to a simmer and add the garlic, onion, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce and tomato sauce. Stir in all the spices, bay leaves and chocolate. Simmer the soup on low, uncovered for 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Add more water ½ cup at a time if the mixture becomes too thick as it cooks. Remove the bay leaves, cool the chili and refrigerate overnight. To serve, discard the fat from the top of the cooled chili.

Reheat the chili and serve over spaghetti noodles with desired garnishes.

Cincinnati Chili: Cheer for the Bengals when you whip up the regional chili for your love.

Avocado Toast: Cheer for the Rams when you serve avocado egg toast to your Valentine.

Kick it California Style!

Rooting for the Rams can be downright delicious! Bring a brunch vibe to your game day menu with avocado toast — the dish has been quintessential California fare since the 1800s and it manages to feel modern to this day. You’ll feel like a Sunshine State champion when you show the breakfast fan in your life a little love! Visit oakpark.com and search avocado toast to learn how to poach an egg.

Avocado Egg Toast (serving two) Ingredients: 2 slices of wheat bread, toasted 1 ripe avocado, thinly sliced 4 (1/4 thick) slices of red ripe heirloom tomato 2 eggs, poached or sunny side up 2 slices of thick cut bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional) Shavings from a block of ParmigianoReggiano 1/2 Cup of baby arugula leaves 1 sliced yellow or orange grape tomato (optional) 2 teaspoon olive oil

Instructions: Place the toast on two plates. Fan the sliced avocado on top of the toast and sprinkle it with a pinch of salt and pepper. Place the tomato slices on the avocado and season lightly with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the tomato with half the crumbled bacon if using and 1-2 shavings of ParmigianoReggiano. Assemble the toast to this point and then cook your egg. Place the egg over the tomato in the center of the toast.

Sprinkle the egg lightly with salt and pepper and top with the baby arugula leaves. Drizzle the olive oil over the arugula, sprinkle the toast with the remaining bacon and a few more Pamigiano-Reggiano shavings. Tuck a few slices of yellow grape tomato on the toast to add a contrast of color if desired.

all photos: Melissa Elsmo

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Feel the local love: here’s how to combine rooting and romance L

Brews and Bubbles in Oak Park

balanced beer is One Lake’s nod to American-made beers from Appalachia. And wings and beer are always a good idea — OLB serves up some mighty fine wings, too!

et’s put the cheers in cheering! If you are looking to pop some corks during the big game, next weekend provides the ideal opportunity to pick up rosy hued bubbles from Anfora Wine Merchants, 128 S. Marion St. Owner Adrian Weisell recommended a duo of sparkling roses to bring a Valentine’s Day color palate to your glass.

He suggested a Mariotti ‘Set e Mez’ Rose from Emilia-Romagna, Italy — a fruity, cherry-colored bottle-fermented sparkler. Drinkers should expect a whiff of raspberry before diving into Weisell’s second recommendation — sourced from Lombardy, Cesarini Sforza Trento Brut Rosé has a light pink hue and delicate flavor profile. Fun fact — fried chicken and dry sparkling wine are a practically perfect paring.

Pair either or both sparkling wines with some hyperlocal brews from One Lake Brewing, 1 Lake St., to satisfy the football fans in your house. Snag a crowler or two of OLB Lager Beer to bring an all-American feeling to your game day celebration. It is easy to love this dry, light and easy-drinking lager. Commonwealth is another popular choice for the local beer lover — this toasty and well-

Wings and Roses in Brookfield

Embrace tradition on Grand Boulevard in Brookfield and visit neighboring shops to make the most of both game day and Valentine’s Day. Ranking second only to pizza, football fans typically consume more than a billion chicken wings on Super Bowl Sunday making them one of the most popular game day snacks. Folks in Brookfield can pop into Pisan’s Pizzeria, 3720 Grand Blvd., to pick up an array of traditional or boneless chicken wings to enjoy during the big game. Pisan’s award-winning wings come tossed with a choice of sauces including dragon, chipotle BBQ and garlic parmesan.

With gameday snacks covered it is time add a little romance — thankfully all you’ll need to do is make your way down the block to pick up some roses to go with those wings. More than 150 million roses were sold in the days surrounding Valentine’s Day last year and the folks at Christopher Mark Fine Flowers, 3742 Grand Blvd., are ready to whip up an arrangement for the love in your life — preordering is encouraged. This will be the final Valentine’s Day for the longtime Brookfield floral shop —

Brews and Bubbles: Libations from Anfora and One Lake are the perfect addition to this weekend’s festivities.

Wings and Roses: Hot wings from Pisan’s match perfectly with roses from Christopher Mark Fine Flowers and Gifts See LOCAL LOVE on page 25

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LOCAL LOVE from page 22

owner, Christopher Mark is retiring at the end of February to focus on his health and loved ones. Order a dozen roses to go with those wings to show some someone special in your life how much you care.

Burgers and Bonbons in Forest Park

Burgers have been beloved gameday fare for decades, but this year a traditional burger should have a little Valentine’s flair. Fat Duck Tavern, 7218 Madison St. in Forest Park, offers a signature burger brimming with French inspired ingredients. Cupid would approve of the addition of romantic and melty Brie cheese and caramelized onions to the bacon topped Duckfat Burger. Order enough to feed the fans gathered at your house for the Big Game and be sure to skip across the street to snag some chocolates from La Maison de Bonbon. The boutique chocolate shop, located at 7353 Madison St., is a tiny jewel box of a store with room for just a few shoppers at a time. In addition to the silky-smooth original French Crème confections, they have been whipping up since 1921, La Maison de Bonbon also offers traditional dark or milk chocolate assortments boasting pink, red and white decorations for Valentine’s Day.

Roses from Christopher Mark in Brookfield bring love and passion to Valentine’s Day.

Butter and Brown Bistro

420 North Austin Boulevard Oak Park (708) 9Butter www.butterbrownbistro.com

Burgers and Bonbons: Fancy French toppings elevate your game day burger to new romantic heights. Order from Fat Duck Tavern and skip across the street to La Maison de Bonbon to buy artisan sweets for your sweetie.

Sa Essence is a new manufacturing candle company that customizes wine scented candles for wineries, vineyards, restaurants, hotels, and individually for our customers. Our mission is to enhance the value and to embrace the future experience of wine tasting and relaxing. Order soon for Valentines Day! 708-855-0709 Info@saesence.com www.saesence.com

all photos: Melissa Elsmo

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