The White House committed a diplomatic blunder last week. Am I the only one who wondered why President Felipe Calderon and his wife were served Mexican food at the official White House state dinner? I have been secretly cringing all week. Please! Just 24 hours before, Mr. Calderon had flown in FROM the land of Mole. Is his palate so entrenched in Mexican food that he will not allow anyone to serve him anything else? No! The phrase, "...taking coals to Newcastle..." is appropriate here. In the midst of our countries' conversation about immigration, serving Mexican food at the state dinner amounts to unimaginative pandering.
We missed an opportunity to wow him with our North American bounty. If Mr. Calderon came to my casa this is what I would make:
Imaginary
Dinner
for President Felipe Calderon
At
Villa Lago
-
- -
Dungeness
Crab Salad on Idahoan Potato Chips
Indio
California Medjool Dates filled
w/ Napa
Goat Cheese & Ohlone Pine Nuts
Drizzled
w/ Green Hierba Buena Mint Oil
Grilled
Bison Skirt Steak w/ Meyer Lemon
&
Texas Prickly Pear Chimichurri
Cedar-planked
Puget Sound King Salmon
w/
Buttered Grits
Pappardelle
of Collard Greens
w/
Garlic, Onion & Tomato
Soapberry
Parfait w/ Wild Oregon Blackberries,
Sweetened
w/ Wampanoag Maple Syrup
Stumptown DripCoffee
