Volume 12, Issue 042 - February 27, 2007

Good Day Chef,

Today our journey takes us to Pennsylvania and Washington, DC. This great trip is hosted by Linda and Steve Bauer and their new cookbook, Recipes from Historic America.

The Hotel Hershey
100 Hotel Road
Hershey, Pennsylvania
www.thehotelhershey.com

While the nation was suffering through the Great Depression, the "Chocolate King," Milton S. Hershey, had a vision. Though close friends and associates called him crazy and urged him not to do it, he was determined to build a grand hotel high atop Pat's Hill in the town he built on chocolate.

Nearly three decades earlier, Hershey had perfected his formula for milk chocolate and began his planned community of Hershey, Pennsylvania. He had already constructed the chocolate factory, homes for his employees and a school for orphaned boys. Now it was time to realize his dream.

Before his wife, Catherine, passed away in 1915, she and Milton had planned to build a luxury hotel in the style of those they loved during their travels abroad. They dreamed of re-creating the Heliopolis Hotel, a famous resort in Cairo, Egypt. Hershey went so far as to purchase the architectural plans, but when the estimated cost to duplicate the structure was $5 million, he abandoned the idea.

In 1930, Hershey announced that he intended to build his hotel after all. He gave his architect, D. Paul Witmer, a postcard of a smaller hotel he and Catherine had enjoyed on the Mediterranean. His involvement didn't stop there. Based on travel notes he and his wife had kept, Hershey instructed Witmer to outfit the new hotel with a Spanish patio, tiled floors, a fountain, and a dining room with a good view from every table.

During construction, as many a 800 steelworkers, masons, carpenters, and other craftsmen and laborers were employed on the Hershey payroll. "We have about 600 construction workers in this town," Hershey said. "If I don't provide work for them, I'll have to feed them. And since building materials are now at their lowest cost levels, I'm going to build and give them jobs."

Work began in 1932, continued through a very mild winter and was completed in 1933. A formal opening celebration was held on May 26, 1933 with a dinner and dance for 400 invited guests. The $2 million Hotel Hershey opened for business the next day. It was an elegant jewel nestled in the rolling hills of Hershey's birthplace.

A local newspaper observed, "Somewhat belying the simplicity of taste for which the "Chocolate King" is noted, the hotel is characterized by great luxury of detail and elegance of appointment. Tinted walls, palms and fountains, carved woodwork, and brilliant hangings and rugs."

Indeed, a Mediterranean-style hotel in central Pennsylvania was unarguably distinctive. Among its unique features, the Circular Dining Room promised what Hershey wanted - a view from every table. Built in a semicircle, without pillars or corners, it allows each guest to view the breathtaking formal gardens on the far side of the windows. Thirteen stained glass windows frame the outside perimeter, with each pane depicting birds and blooms native to Hershey's beloved state.

The Hotel Hershey celebrates over 70 years of tradition and elegance.

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Hershey's Chocolate Cream Pie

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups milk, divided
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 egg yolks
2 1/2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 pastry shell (9 inches), baked

Preparation:

In a 1-quart saucepan, heat 1 1/2 cups milk and sugar. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch and salt. Add egg yolks and remaining milk; mix well. Temper this mixture by adding a third of the hot milk mixture. Return all to the saucepan. Bring to a boil; boil and stir for 1 minute.

Remove from the heat. Add chocolate and stir until melted. Finish with butter and vanilla. Pour into pastry shell. Refrigerate until set.

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Hotel Monaco
700 F Street NW
Washington, DC 20002
http://www.monaco-dc.com/

Housed in what was once Washington, D.C.'s General Post Office, Hotel Monaco is a National Historic Landmark that has reflected the grandeur of the U.S. capital for more than 150 years. Occupying an entire block in the heart of the vibrant downtown arts and theater district, the 184-room boutique hotel is easily accessible to all the city has to offer.

Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, this area was the "center city" of Washington. In 1795, the first known structure to occupy this site was Blodgett's Hotel, which was built to promote real estate development plans for the city of Washington. Congress purchased the site in 1810 for the General Post Office, which occupied the first floor, and the Patent Office, which occupied the upper floors.

Dr. William Thornton saved the building from destruction in 1812, when Admiral George Cockburn ordered British troops to burn all public property in the city. After the fire, it was the only building available large enough to house Congress. On September 19, 1814, the third session of the 13th Congress convened there. The building did not survive another blaze - it was destroyed by an accidental fire in 1836.

The southern part of the current structure was designed by Robert Mills, architect of the Washington Monument. Completed in 1842, it was the first all-marble building in the city and was again occupied by the General Post Office. Regarded as avant-garde for the time, Mills patterned the building after the first marble building in Rome, the Temple of Jupiter.

Over a decade later, Thomas Walter, one of the architects of the United States Capitol, created the design for an extension on the north side of the building, which was completed in 1869. The building later housed the Tariff Commission and became known as the Tariff Building.

Recently, the building was completely rehabilitated into the 184-room Hotel Monaco. Architects worked tirelessly to ensure that the historical significance and architectural grandeur of the building were maintained.

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Hamachi, Ruby Red Grapefruit and Ginger Vinaigrette

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

2 drops orange oil
2 drops Banyuls vinegar
1/2 teaspoon finely grated ginger
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon finely crushed garlic
1 cup grapeseed oil
salt and pepper to taste
sliced ginger
8 ounces Hamachi (kingfish), thinly sliced
2 ruby red grapefruit, segmented
2 blood oranges, segmented
for garnish - baby cilantro, thinly sliced scallions, finely julienned parsley, micro spinach, chopped chives and chive sprigs

Preparation:

For the vinaigrette, combine the orange oil, vinegar, grated ginger, soy sauce and garlic; slowly add grapeseed oil. Season with salt and pepper.

For crispy ginger, blanch and shock young ginger slices; crisp slowly in grapeseed oil.

To serve, arrange Hamachi and citrus on plates. Drizzle with vinaigrette. Garnish with crispy ginger, greens and herbs.