Saturday, March 7, 2009

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner with Chef Tom Craner Demonstrating to Couples on How to Make Sushi

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner with Chef Tom Craner demonstrating to couples how to roll your own sushi.  Here is the finished product of California Roll.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Joel Tune from Antioch, placing down his finished California Roll.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Connie Schwert and Joel Tune grabbing handfuls of sticky rice to prepare their rolls, while Chef Tom Craner spoons rice to the sides.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Chef Tom Craner adds sesame seed to the Spicy Tuna Roll before he flips it over to add more ingredients.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

 Chef Tom Craner adds the spicy sauce to finish the Spicy Tuna Roll.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Here is the finished Dragon Roll which was extraordinarily pleasing.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Here are all the different types of sushi that everyone successfully made, just before we sat down to enjoy the feast.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Susan Craner dishing out the Miso Soup, which is a soy bean paste soup with tofu (soybean curd) and fresh green onion.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

The finished Ebi Roll and Dragon Roll.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)
Some of the finished rolls that the couples successfully created.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)


Sunday, March 1, 2009

Polar Plunge to support Special Olympics at Lake Front Park

Special Olympics supporters jump into the icy waters of Fox Lake at Lake Front Park.  Here are the Pirate Plungers watching others plunge while they wait their turn.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Special Olympics supporters jump into the icy waters of Fox Lake at Lake Front Park.  Here are the Pirate Plungers plunging into the deadly cold waters, later won the best group costume award.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Special Olympics supporters jump into the icy waters of Fox Lake at Lake Front Park.  Here are the Pirate Plungers plunging into the deadly cold waters, later won the best group costume award.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Special Olympics supporters jump into the icy waters of Fox Lake at Lake Front Park.  This was such a shock for this man, he couldn't seem to walk in the correct direction to get out of the water.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Special Olympics supporters jump into the icy waters of Fox Lake at Lake Front Park.  Here is Bryce Kwiatt, 16, of McHenry, who was dressed as batman and received 3rd place for best costume, along with his friend Samm Naranjo, who was dressed as robin and is not shown in this picture.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Special Olympics supporters jump into the icy waters of Fox Lake at Lake Front Park.  This woman won 1st place for best individual costume as a shower, which fell apart when she hit the icy waters.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Special Olympics supporters jump into the icy waters of Fox Lake at Lake Front Park.  Here are some local police officers supporting the cause and getting some hands on experience at freezing for a reason.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Special Olympics supporters jump into the icy waters of Fox Lake at Lake Front Park.  Here is speedo man, who looked like he was in agonizing pain after plunging into the ice water.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Special Olympics supporters jump into the icy waters of Fox Lake at Lake Front Park.  Here are some masked men posing as presidents plunging in last, after the rescue crew was no longer in the water.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)