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Here are
to appreciate
both dad and great outdoors.

Throw a next-level barbecue
For wannabe (or already accomplished) pitmasters, Father’s Day is
the perfect opportunity to tie on an apron, grab some favorite tongs
and fire up the grill for a delicious home-cooked meal.

But before Dad can start flipping burgers, he has to form the per-
fect patties. And Bill Edelblut, owner of O’Donnell’s Market in
Potomac, has some advice on how to do it right, starting with the
type of ground beef.

“If you buy too lean, like a 90/10, you’re not going to have the fat
content to give it the juiciness in the burger,” Edelblut says. “We feel
that an 80/20 blend is good, and most grocery stores, that’s what
they’re carrying.”
Next, shape the burgers so there’s a decent firmness to them—
not too loose, not too tight—and season with salt and pepper. Bring
the grill to medium heat and cook the patties for 3 to 4 minutes.

Once there’s a nice char, flip them over (adding cheese, if you’d like),
cover the grill and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes.

When it comes to a delicious burger, the bun and toppings are
almost as important as the patty itself. O’Donnell’s Market uses a
brioche roll for its burgers, but Edelblut also recommends a stan-
dard potato roll.

As for toppings, you can’t go wrong with a classic combination of
cheddar, bacon, lettuce and tomato; however, Edelblut recommends
26 Washington FAMILY JUNE 2020
adding the surprise element of avocado. “People have all of their
own preferences, but that seems to be one of the biggest sellers for
us,” he says.

Of course, some people may prefer something entirely different:
a hot dog. “Hot dogs are universal,” says Ronnie Heckman, owner of
Caddies Bar and Grill in Bethesda.

While they’re delicious with the traditional mix of spicy mustard,
onion and relish, Heckman says the latest way to eat a hot dog is
with popular cookout sides piled on top. Case in point: Caddies’
best-selling hot dog is the crab mac ‘n’ cheese dog, topped with
hearty macaroni and cheese and Old Bay-seasoned crab meat.

Another popular option is a Western dog, which has onion,
jalepenos and—wait for it—Chipotle ranch.

Caddies uses Vienna brand hot dogs from Chicago, but the good news
is that today’s hot dogs can be “whatever you want,” according to
Heckman. All of it, unexpected toppings included, he says, tastes good.

Have an overnight adventure
in your backyard
If your kids love to build forts with blankets and pillows in the
living room, they’re going to love camping in the backyard. Plus,
we can’t think of better way to bond with dad on Father’s Day



than by pitching a tent, making s’mores and sleeping under the
stars together.

But s’mores are a bonus. You really only need two things to camp
out in your backyard: a tent and good weather.

“Being wet is miserable, and preventing it on a campout, even
with a tent, takes some experience and trial and error,” says Dr. Jim
P. Boyce, Cubmaster with the National Capital Area Council Cub
Scout Pack 1280. Most new tents come with a tarp and a rain fly to
help keep you dry. But you’re better off rescheduling if wet weather
is in the forecast, especially if it’s your first time camping.

“The nice thing about backyard camping is you just come inside if
anything goes amiss,” he says.

Ticks, on the other hand, are cause for concern.

“These scourges are vectors for a long list of human diseases,” he
says. The most well-known tick-borne disease, of course, is Lyme
disease. To help prevent tick bites, Boyce recommends cutting grass
short and spraying down your camping equipment with tick repel-
lent a day before the overnight. Also, parents should get in the habit
of checking kids any time they play, hike or camp outdoors.

“It’s hard to do, and even more so once the ticks find a hairline,
but if you can catch them within a day or two of attaching and before
the can engorge on blood then odds of transmission and consequent
treatments is quite low,” say Boyce, who happens to be a medicinal
chemist at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Stay warm and cozy
Enjoy the nightlife
When choosing a “campsite” in your yard, avoid trees with branches
that might fall on you overnight. Then pitch your tent with your
children’s help and make it cozy with sleeping bags or blankets and
pillows. For an even more comfortable slumber, consider blowing up
an air mattress or two.

“Keep in mind the importance of staying warm underneath,” says
Boyce. “So something insulating to go under you is as important as
over you, even in spring, as the ground will tend to suck heat away
from your body.” For extra insulation, Boyce recommends sleeping
on top of a closed-cell yoga mat.

Before tucking in, slip on a pair of socks and a ski cap, which will
help keep you warm if the temperature dips, and have a flashlight
handy for the inevitable middle-of-the-night bathroom trip to the
house. Boyce prefers red LED flashlights “so you can see but you
don’t lose your night vision.”
Watch our for tiny dangers
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When it comes to wildlife, you’re pretty safe in your backyard.

Raccoons might investigate the campsite for food, but they, along
with foxes and deer, aren’t likely to bother anyone. “A neighborhood
dog getting loose is probably the biggest non-human mammal to
worry about around here,” says Boyce.

One benefit of camping is the opportunity for children to experience
nature in a whole new way. Take fireflies, for example.

Firefly season starts mid-June and hits its peak around the Fourth
of July; however, “a lot of kids may not notice how many fireflies
there are out because they tend to come in and to go bed,” Boyce
says. “But if you’re out camping in the backyard, it’s like Christmas
trees lit up with fireflies.”
Kids may also catch a glimpse of bats hunting for mosquitos at
dusk or hear owls hooting at night.

“There’s a lot of nightlife to appreciate that I don’t think kids usu-
ally fully get because they’re indoors sleeping in bed,” he says.

And since no campout is really complete with s’mores, Boyce has
just one request: Use an old fashioned wooden stick, not a metal
skewer, to roast those marshmallows.

“Kids and sticks and waving them around … inevitably, someone’s
going to get poked with a red hot skewer,” he says. “Find a branch,
find a stick. Much safer than metal.”
—PJ FEINSTEIN
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