Obama's First State Dinner: The Menu

[nmap]

Lucky me - my invitation must have gotten lost in the mail.

Seriously, I think I would have to make-do with extra desserts and skip most of the rest. Icch.

LINK


(CBS/Frank Thorp)The White House has released the menu for tonight's state dinner honoring Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. It is both tailored to Indian tastes and to the predilections of the prime minister, who has reportedly been "described by aides as an abstemious vegetarian." (Abstemious: "sparing or moderate in eating and drinking; temperate in diet.")

Here's the menu, which will be prepared by guest Chef Marcus Samuelsson and White House Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford. (At left, check out photos from CBS News' Frank Thorp of the table settings for the event.) You'll note the only non-strictly vegetarian option are the green curry prawns:

Potato and Eggplant Salad
White House Arugula w/ Onion Seed Vinaigrette
2008 Savingnon Blanc, Modus Operandi, Napa Valley

Red Lentil Soup w Fresh Cheese
2006 Riesling, Brooks "Ara", Wilamette Valley
Roast Potato Dumplings w Tomato Chutney
Chick Peas and Okra or Green Curry Prawns w caramelized Salsify w smoke Collard Greens and coconut aged basmati
2007 Granache Beckman Vineyards, Santa Ynez, CA

Pumpkin pie tart
Pear tatin
Whipped Cream and Caramel sauce
Sparkling Chardonnay, Thibaut Janisson Brut, Monticello, VA

Petits fours and Coffee
Cashew Brittle
Pecan Pralines
Passion fruit and vanilla gelees
Chocolate dipped fruit

(CBS/Frank Thorp)More than 300 guests are expected at the black-tie event, which marks marks the first state dinner of Barack Obama's presidency. Among the performers will be Jennifer Hudson, Kurt Elling and A.R. Rahman.

"A dinner of this magnitude is months in the making, takes days of round-the-clock preparations as the night of the dinner approaches and costs taxpayers a pretty penny, estimated as much as half a million dollars," reports CBS News' Mark Knoller. "The government does not disclose the precise cost of such dinners, but they are funded by the budget of the State Department's Office of Protocol."

[Pete]

Man, everything on the above menu looks to be a side dish for a plate of cow or pig.

Where's the beef?

Arugula? Sounds like something the Romans used on the Huns to torture them.

[lksteve]

Betcha the Indian Prime Minister is Hindu...thus, the lack of beef...

[Richard]

No after-dinner cognac or whiskey and cigars - I'm stayin' home and grillin'.

Richard's $.02

Originally Posted by Pete

Man, everything on the above menu looks to be a side dish for a plate of cow or pig.

Where's the beef?

Arugula? Sounds like something the Romans used on the Huns to torture them.

Arugula is fancy lettuce. Man I would starve to death at that meal. I don't eat a lot of meat but the menu, bleh... yuck! What is this about a temperate drinker and every course has a new flavor of wine. I guess if you cannot eat the crap, at least you can get drunk. Damn, why I am I going for my MCSA/E., I should have been a chef. I sure as heck can come up with a lot more tasty food than that and all of it vegetarian. Just as elegantly presented as well. In fact I can probably outpresent the chef at the WH... subtleties and garnishes are one of my specialties.

Desert tonight was, since I ate it first while the pork tenderloin is in the oven with new potatoes, baby carrots, onions and garlic cloves. Strawberries, sour cream, turbinado sugar and fresh grated ginger. I might have to wait til much later to eat supper..It was so good, I got another bowl. So much for that pint of strawberries.. lol...

[Utah Bob]

Why are they having it in a tent? Is the economy that bad???

[Utah Bob]

Originally Posted by lksteve

Betcha the Indian Prime Minister is Hindu...thus, the lack of beef...

Nope. He's a Sikh.

[nmap]

Originally Posted by lksteve

Betcha the Indian Prime Minister is Hindu...thus, the lack of beef...

Good point - I could not resist a bit of digging.

I get the impression that he is a Sikh. LINK

The meal may have something to do with the Sikh notion of Langar. LINK

The reason why meat is not served at langar in the Gurdwaras is because langar is supposed to be a symbol of equality of mankind where all people no matter what race, religion or caste can eat toghether in the atmosphere of brotherhood. Hindu, Sikh, Muslim, it does not matter who they are. Different religions have different dietary restrictions. Hindus cannot eat cow, muslims cannot eat pork and will only eat halal meat. Jews will only eat kosher meat, others cannot eat fish or eggs. But in a gurdwara langar, it does not matter what their dietary taboos or religious beliefs are, the food is designed so that all can eat together and no one will be offended or not be able to partake of the meal.

However...Sikhs do have a dietary restriction....LINK

The Sikh Rehat Maryada, the Sikh Code of Conduct, prohibits consumption of alcohol, tobacco and other intoxicants that are known to pollute the body. It also prohibits use of all sacrificial meat, often labeled as halal and kosher because Sikhs believe that one can't please God through rituals or sacrifices.

No alcohol, eh?

[Sten]

because Sikhs believe that one can't please God through rituals or sacrifices

I like that line of thinking.

[Blitzzz (RIP)]

Sitting down to dinner with folks known to eat monkey brains...., their diets would seem a bit strange.

Originally Posted by Blitzzz

Sitting down to dinner with folks known to eat monkey brains...., their diets would seem a bit strange.

Monkey's still alive? when you eat them?

[The Reaper]

Originally Posted by armymom1228

Monkey's still alive? when you eat them?

Never saw "Faces of Death"?

I was under the impression that shellfish were neither halal nor kosher?

Hope this doesn't mean Michelle makes another multi-thousand dollar produce run with a cast of dozens.

TR

[longrange1947]

armymom I will be nice and spare you the details.

Originally Posted by The Reaper

Never saw "Faces of Death"?

After your last reccomendation (one second after) I am now afraid too... the book left me with nightmares for a week.

I was under the impression that shellfish were neither halal nor kosher?

Hope this doesn't mean Michelle makes another multi-thousand dollar produce run with a cast of dozens.

TR

They are not.. the prime minister is from India is he not?
Depends on what flavor of jewish one is. Most Reformed don't keep Kosher, most, if not all orthodox do. Not only is shellfish not kosher, it is forbidden and one does not mix milk and meat on the same dishes either.

Historic basis for food restrictions by religion is a real interesting topic. Almost always involving a food that rapidly spoils in the climate of the religion's predominant regions. Did a term paper on it in nursing school.

BTW, the pork tenderloin turned out magnificent. Smothered in minced garlic. Small red potatoes baked in the same dish. Each bite of them tasted like mashed potatoes. I am stuffed.!!

[JJ_BPK]

This is V like in vegan?? or V like in visitor??

Anna (MORENA BACCARIN)

"I vant to have you over for dinner some nite!!! "