kyle+blog: White House State Dinner Honoring President François Hollande of France

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

White House State Dinner Honoring President François Hollande of France

Right off the bat this one has been a bit of a headache for the State Department, with the recent " chambre a coucher" antics of the French President. The modern French people were cool with a live in "First Girl Friend "at the Palais de Elysee - but so not down with the President sneaking out at night for motorcycle rides to his actress other girl friends house - so it is stag night at the White House. Michelle stands alone.

It is still early for newspapers / the interwebs to be posting pictures etc of tonight, most will do it after the event with actual people having dinner. Like Neil asked this morning , when I woke him up at the crack of dawn , wanting to have a lengthy discussion about THIS :

a salad of petite radishes and baby carrots on a bed of lettuce and splashed with red-wine vinaigrette
made using honey from the beehive on the South Lawn.
The salad will be served in a clear, glass bowl and resemble a terrarium

"Who the hell thinks about this stuff other than you" - rolled over to go back to sleep.

You know I was up half the night thinking about this one. Part of me loves it, part of me thinks it is sort of everything I could possibly hate about a sort of pseudo '80's nouvelle presentation ( maybe that is the point?!? ) Maybe my very good close personal pal Chef Cris Comerford is getting a little bored. It is beautiful. Don't get me started on where the hell that gold leaf spotted plate came from.....ALTHOUGH it would / will look amazing with the Clinton China.

But I am getting a little ahead of myself.

The day started off on a frigid Washington DC morning, with our First Lady looking stunning in a red Thom Browne coat

THE MENU

THE WINE LIST

Morlet “La Proportion Doree” 2011

Napa Valley, California

Chester — Kidder Red Blend 2009

Columbia Valley, Washington

Thibaut-Jannison “Blanc de Chardonnay”

Monticello, Virginia

Afterward, they can nibble on fudge made with Vermont maple syrup, lavender shortbread cookies, and orange zest-dusted cotton candy.

THE TABLES

The guest reception is in the Blue Room and then the guests are off to a tent on the South Lawn, the theme is a Monet garden - I will post some pics when I get more. The Obama's like to mix up the tables at their State Dinners with round, square and rectangle shaped tables, all different tonight