by Mary Jane Wilan

Dave and I were recently invited to lunch at the Hacienda Doña Andrea de Santa Fe, run by hospitality manager Billie Frank and executive chef Steve Collins. We had no idea this place even existed! The inn and retreat sits on 64 private acres, and took 5 years to build. Each item–from the 400-year-old doors from Puebla, Mexico to the hand woven Mexican fabrics gracing the tables–was hand-selected, giving a glimpse into Spanish Colonial times. Located above Cerrillos, NM, just off of the historic Turquoise Trail, the Hacienda has an unobstructed view of the magnificent Ortiz Mountains.

The Hacienda is known primarily for its flawless organization of weddings, but it also hosts retreats and seminars. It has nine luxurious guest rooms, each meticulously decorated with Colonial-style artifacts. It feels like being in a gracious hacienda in Colonial Mexico, complete with its own chef, who has a professional kitchen that would turn every cook-chef green with envy.

Steve Collins, author of Grilling and Cooking with the Home Chef and columnist for the National BBQ News, prepares the sumptuous wedding breakfasts, using kicked-up chile recipes from his vast repertoire of Southwestern specialties. At our lunch, we were treated to some of his "kicked-up" grilled salmon recipes–wonderful! As Steve states in his cookbook, "The elemental aspect of cooking directly with fire is a great source of pleasure."

And, for dessert, we had the best strawberry shortcake in the known universe; instead of the usual biscuits, Steve baked some tasty cinnamon flavored buns, topped with strawberries, of course.

Look for more from Steve in the future!

Steve can be reached by email: steve@thehomechef.net

For more in formation about the Hacienda, www.hdasantafe.com

Billie Frank can be reached at billie@thehomechef.net or by calling 505-471-3946

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