The Weekend That Was...aka Great Eats in DC

Just got back from a fun-filled (and food-filled) weekend @ my sister's in the DC area. Celebrated my Dad's 65th and my son's 7th birthdays with the whole fandamily! And anytime we get together...you can bet the food and wine is plentiful!

My brother-in-law subscribes to a "Go Big or Go Home" philosophy, and I am more than happy to partake and partner up. Here is a sampling...

Friday night: Italian Buffet. Veggie lasagna and two different homemade pizzas. One with roasted tomatoes; one with prosciutto. Both were fresh and tasty, and done on the grill, which really made a difference, especially in the crust. I do not have a pizza stone, but these pizzas vaulted it to the top of my list of kitchen gadgets to get. The pizzas took less time to bake than in the oven, and the crusts were an ideal combo of crispy and pliant... Larry has an extensively impressive wine collection, and he is more than generous in his sharing and sampling. After all, that's what drinking wine is all about, right?? We started with a spicy Demuth Kemos Syrah and moved onto a cultish Cab from Harlan known as The Maiden... both were impeccable...

Saturday night: Surf & Turf. Larry and I ventured to a "locals only" DC-based fish market, at a marina off the Potomac River and right near the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. One look at this market and you can tell it was legit. It was one of the more impressive and bountiful markets I've visited. Right off the boats. Eat it there in the parking lot, fresh or fried. Or take it home in plastic bags, still squirming and/or snapping. Captain White's Seafood City boasts the Chesapeake Bay's Finest catches, and who am I argue?! The place was teeming with live lobsters, shrimp, and all varieties of crab, the most impressive of which are the blue crab by the bushel. We chose five lobsters, along with some fresh, jumbo lump crab meat, and were on our way...

Larry already had a beef tenderloin marinating, and some pineapple salsa prepped for the lobster. When we got back, we cleaved our crustaceans down the middle, removed the tails and claws, stuffed the tails with butter and lemon, and placed them all on the grill. The rest of the lobsters -- shells, innards, etc. -- went into a vat to make a lobster stock for later use. Credit to my brother-in-law for his outstanding economical and efficient use of all the parts!! That's some classic chef training stuff right there!

The third and final component to this smorgasbord feast was a mushroom truffle risotto. While I was merely a prep cook/sous chef for the former entrees, this latter part was where I earned my stripes in Larry's kitchen. I was in charge of babysitting the arborio rice, as it slowly cooked amongst the sauteed mushrooms and chicken broth. After a long while of gentle stirring, we added a dose of white truffle oil, and that just took the taste over the top, not to mention aided in softening up with texture and consistency to get it where it needed to be. And when it was just about right...we finished it off with a healthy portion of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The difference between this type of cheese and straight Parmesan cheese is where the cheese is crafted. P-R is made under strict guidelines in certain provinces of Italy (Parma, Reggio-Emilia, Modena). Parm imitates it, without having the former's pedigree, per se. I have never claimed to have an experienced palette, but I can assure you there is a difference, and it is worth the extra few $$$ to splurge for the real deal!

Everything was primo. The food. The wine. And especially the family!

The "Child" In Me...

With a nod to my fraternity brother Ricky Lyons' uncle Jeffrey (and cousin Ben, for that matter), I hereby doff my movie reviewer's cap to "Julie & Julia," which I just returned from seeing. What a well-told story, with tremendous acting, scripting, and even scenery (not the part shot in Queens, but the part in Paris!). Meryl Streep was in top form, as you could imagine, Amy Adams continues to pad her increasingly impressive and diverse filmography, and I always love Stanley Tucci (one of our most underappreciated actors). I knew I was engrossed in this flick when every time the scene would switch from 1950s Julia Child to 2000's Julie Powell, I was disappointed, only to feel the same way when the reverse happened. It in some way felt like two movies in one, although I doubt either could stand on its own as a feature; rather, the two storylines bolstered each other, making it each that much more realtable and enjoyable. Certainly didn't hurt that the food in the movie (and really, the recipes even more so) should get consideration for Supporting Actor come Oscar time!....
With that said, it would be criminal not to include a recipe I used the other night for dinner, which was both simple and sensationally summerific...
& as Juila would say, "Bon Appetit!" ...

Grilled Chicken with Peaches & Arugula

• Season chicken breasts (I used thin cuts, so make sure to adjust grill times depending) with salt & pepper and brush with EVOO. Grill for a few minutes on each side.
• Slice 1 large red onion into 1/2 inch slices. Slice 3 peaches into quarters. Toss in a medium bowl with EVOO, salt & pepper.
• Grill onions until tender.
• Grill peaches a couple of minutes on each side until you get some good grill marks.
• Add about 4 cups of arugula to mixing bowl. Return grilled onions & peaches to bowl and toss, with balsamic vinegar.
• Serve next to grilled chicken, and top with crumbled blue cheese.

Travels...Musings... & More

So I'm in the top 20 finalists for this online cooking reality series (www.homecookingstar.ning.com/group/richhollenberg), whose topic this inaugural season is BBQ recipes. I entered one whose most provocative ingredient is Dr. Pepper. I in no way take credit for this: that goes to a chef friend (and James Beard nominee) Zack Gross, of Z-Grille, in St. Pete. I had also seen Dr. Pepper featured in "Top Chef" a while back.
But, the recent influx of Dr. Pepper sightings on TV and in food blogs, etc. is becoming almost ridiculous! It was featured again on TV, this time by both Graham Elliot Bowles and Susanne Tracht on "Top Chef Masters" this past Wednesday night, and no sooner do I catch that on the DVR, than I read about Dr. Pepper ribs on the NY Magazine food blog, "Grub Street." It's everywhere!! Maybe that "23 secret ingredients" campaign really worked....

In the midst of a foodie media tour, travelling to 10 different markets to give tips on BBQ/grilling season. One of the most pleasant surprises was Albuquerque, NM. Stayed at a fab hotel right on the cusp of Old Town (Hotel Albuquerque), and visited 3 spots that I would recommend to anyone: Seasons appears to be the most contemporary, hip, fine dining you'll find in the area, and the 2nd floor views are breathtaking, as is the menu, and the wine and beer list (as I'd hoped, lots of west of the Mississippi microbrews on tap)... Little Anita's is almost stereotypically New Mexican, but don't ever ever ever call in TexMex! The dishes looked the same, but the taste was miles beyond what we're used to... next day, had lunch at Church St. Cafe, which occupies the oldest standing building recorded in Albuquerque. Exactly what you want from this type of town: rustic, charming, brimming with local ingredients (I ordered (and loved) the Pueblo Burger).
My two favorite takeaways from this 24-hour stopover: blue corn pancakes, topped with pine nuts, and a peach-maple syrup for breakfast... and Indian fry bread (which is what my Pueblo Burger was served on). Also, be prepared to sample fresh green chile on...everything! It's as common there as any condiment you can think of. All in all, outrageously simple, good, locavore-inspired food, and the people are kind and welcoming, too...

Does anyone have any grilling/BBQ tips they'd want to share, that I can then suggest on my tour (I'd give you credit for it on TV!)?? If so, make sure to comment...

Anyone ever been to Albuquerque, and care to comment on your fave spots? Let me hear your favorite places to eat when you're abroad... always looking for good recommendations!!

This week, I'm off to Nashville, New Orleans, and Orlando...
Been to Nashville once before and encountered (I swear) the best pizza joint outside NYC... Christopher Pizza -- funky, fun, and fresh made, original 'za with such creative toppings and combos... Love the fact that even though I won't get to the French Quarter, I can still get a Cafe DuMonde fix (in Metairie) -- gotta love the chicory and bignets...


I must say it is with a heavy heart that I write this latest entry. The patriarch of the Hollenberg family, my Papa Harry, passed away Thursday. He will be missed and remembered fondly by so many friends and family members. And my 2 sons and I carry on his good name proudly...