Archives

Breaking: State Dinner Menu Released

November 24, 2009 by Cynthia Bertelsen

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 […]

Categories: American Cooking, Menus, United States, White House • Tags: Barack Obama, State Dinner, White House

Feasting in State: Obama’s First Real State Dinner

November 19, 2009 by Cynthia Bertelsen

In the next week, we will see real-time examples of a few of the different types of feasts common to American culture: Thanksgiving — essentially a harvest feast tinged with overtones of cultural identity — and President Barack Obama’s first true State Dinner, to be held on November 24, 2009 for India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh — a feast based on the display of power and good will. Both feasts carry with them great tradition and historical precedent. Having covered […]

Categories: China, Thanksgiving, United States, White House • Tags: Barack Obama, Manmohan Singh, marcus Samuelsson, State Dinner, State Dinners, Thanksgiving, White House

Gardening at the White House

April 4, 2009 by Cynthia Bertelsen

A history of American gardens, a part of the “Eat the View” effort to turn the 18 acres of the White House backyard into a garden. Sounds like the Obama garden is not the first garden to be planted there.

Categories: American Cooking, Gardens, Video, White House • Tags: American Food, Barack Obama, Culinary History, Gardening, Gardens, Video, White House

Lobster Bisque and Striped Bass à la President Barack Obama

February 24, 2009 by Cynthia Bertelsen

On February 24, 2009, President Barack Obama lunched on lobster bisque and striped bass, along with TV anchors due to report on his “state of the nation” speech. Very interesting was a brief mention of the Obamas’ “family dinners”: He cherishes family dinner in the White House, where “thorns and roses” is now the favorite family game. Each family member describes the day’s highlight, or rose, and the day’s worst moment, the thorn. We were told after describing one particularly […]

Categories: American Cooking, Food Columns, White House • Tags: Barack Obama, Cooking, Food, Lobster Bisque, Presidents' Lunches, Striped Sea Bass, White House

The Willard Hotel, and a Near Brush with Obama’s Motorcade

January 18, 2009 by Cynthia Bertelsen

See all photos (unedited) by clicking HERE: Last night’s dinner at the historic Willard Hotel almost didn’t happen because as we walked down 15th St., we couldn’t cross the street because the police had cordoned off the street to await the Obama motorcade’s passing through on the way to Blair House. But at one point we saw people darting across the road in the darker spots and so we did, too. The whole thing reminded me of the times we […]

Categories: Food News, French Cooking, White House • Tags: Barack Obama, Inauguration 2009, Willard Hotel

At the Edge of Change: Blogging Live From Washington, DC and the Inauguration of President Barack Obama

January 17, 2009 by Cynthia Bertelsen

Starting tomorrow, after tonight’s dinner at the Willard Hotel, “Gherkins & Tomatoes” will share every tiny crumb possible with readers about G&T’s food experiences during the inaugural frenzy in Washington, DC. A most pressing concern is how to get some food into the VIP area for the Swearing-In ceremony on Tuesday, January 20, 2009. It will be a long time between a dawn’s-early-light breakfast in the hotel room and lunch at The Fourth Estate at the National Press Club. For, […]

Categories: Food Columns • Tags: Barack Obama, Inauguration 2009, Willard Hotel

Inaugural Luncheon 2009: Menu and Details

January 9, 2009 by Cynthia Bertelsen

According to an e-mail from the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, the 2009 Inaugural Luncheon looks like this. Note that recipes are also included; click for a .pdf file of the recipes. Around 200 guests will attend this exclusive luncheon in Statuary Hall. Design Cuisine, a top-flight caterer in Washington, designed the menu, which “draws on historic ties to the Presidency of Abraham Lincoln. Growing up in the frontier regions of Kentucky and Indiana, the sixteenth President favored simple […]

Categories: American Cooking, White House • Tags: Abraham Lincoln, Barack Obama, Cooking, Design Cuisine, Food, Inaugural Menu 2009, Inaugural menus, White House

All the Presidents’ Tables: Ex-Presidents Dine with President Obama

January 7, 2009 by Cynthia Bertelsen

From a White House press release, January 7, 2009: PRESIDENT BUSH: I want to thank the President-elect for joining the ex-Presidents for lunch. And one message that I have and I think we all share is that we want you to succeed. Whether we’re Democrat or Republican, we care deeply about this country. And to the extent we can, we look forward to sharing our experiences with you. All of us who have served in this office understand that the […]

Categories: American Cooking, White House • Tags: Barack Obama, Food, George W. Bush, Inaugural menus

BREAKING: Vilsack is the New Agriculture Secretary

December 16, 2008 by Cynthia Bertelsen

Not a real victory for the petition signers and Michael Pollan advocates … Tom Vilsack, former Iowa governor. In the words of Jill Richardson: “After his own presidential campaign floundered, Vilsack backed Hillary Clinton in the primary, but has recently been campaigning for Obama. One of Obama’s top campaign strategists, David Axelrod, also ran Vilsack’s 1998 gubernatorial campaign. Vilsack, however, also was heavily involved in education issues in Iowa and could also fit in the role of education secretary as […]

Categories: Agriculture, Food News • Tags: Barack Obama, Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack

Secretary of Agriculture: Still moot but …

December 16, 2008 by Cynthia Bertelsen

The Associated Press released the following names on December 16, 2008 as contenders for President Barack Obama’s Secretary of Agriculture. For more about each of these people, see my post with biographical blurbs. Dennis Wolff, Pennsylvania agriculture secretary. Tom Buis, president of National Farmers Union. Former Rep. Charles Stenholm, D-Texas. Rep. Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin, D-S.D. Former Rep. Jill Long Thompson, D-Ind.

Categories: Agriculture, Food News • Tags: Barack Obama, Charles Stenholm, Dennis Wolff, Jill Long Thompson, Secretary of Agriculture, Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, Tom Buis

Alice Waters: The Woman Behind the Throne? (Or, Um, The Push for White House Chef)

December 13, 2008 by Cynthia Bertelsen

Alice Waters. Chef. Restaurateur. Cookbook author. Agricultural activist. Now add political activist to the list, too. Stir well. See what cooks up. Since 1971, Ms. Waters has overseen the stove and tables at her celebrated and innovative Berkeley, California restaurant, Chez Panisse. She’s the force behind the Edible Schoolyard program that “demonstrates the transformative power of growing, cooking, and sharing food.” In an interview with The New York Times’ Tara Parker-Pope, published on December 11, 2008 (“Alice Waters and Obama’s […]

Categories: Agriculture, American Cooking, Food News • Tags: Alice Waters, Barack Obama, Cooking, Cooks, Food, White House chef

Obama’s “Secretary of Food”: An Idea Whose Time has Come, Thanks to Nicholas Kristof

December 11, 2008 by Cynthia Bertelsen

In the his December 10, 2008 column in The New York Times, Nicholas Kristof states that the name of the department responsible for food and agriculture in the United States should be called the Department of Food. His reasoning is that only 2 percent of the American population actually farms, but 100 percent eats. Good logic. He goes on to say this : The Agriculture Department — and the agriculture committees in Congress — have traditionally been handed over to […]

Categories: Agriculture, Cookbooks, Food News • Tags: Agriculture, Barack Obama, Food, Secretary of Agriculture

Obama’s Secretary of Agriculture: The Saga Continues

December 8, 2008 by Cynthia Bertelsen

John Salazar? Is a potato farmer. With strong ties to corporate agriculture. The blogging world, at least those interested in who might take over the reins at the USDA (see Mark Bittman of the New York Times on this issue), think that maybe John Salazar of Colorado might be the pick. La Vida Locavore, in the person of Jill Richardson, seems to think that Salazar has a shot at being Deputy Farmer-in-Chief. Richardson says of Salazar, currently Democratic representative of […]

Categories: Agriculture, Cookbooks, Food News, White House • Tags: Barack Obama, Chuck Hassebrook, Fred Kirschenmann, Gus Schumacher, John Salazar, Mark Ritchie, Neil Hamilton, Sarah Vogel, Secretary of Agriculture

BREAKING: Short List for Obama’s Agriculture Secretary

December 4, 2008 by Cynthia Bertelsen

The short list of three names includes Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas, Charles Stenholm, and Dennis Wolff. See an earlier post of this topic: Obama’s Agriculture Secretary: Who Should It Be? According to an announcement in The Washington Post, each of the candidates has numerous strengths and weaknesses. These names do not make the sustainable agriculture and organic comminities very happy … Kathleen Sebelius’s bio reads as follows: Credentials: Eight years in the Kansas legislature; two terms as state insurance commissioner; […]

Categories: Agriculture, Food News, White House • Tags: Barack Obama, Charles Stenholm, Dennis Wolf, Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Agriculture

Obama, the Cookbook

November 21, 2008 by Cynthia Bertelsen

I knew it would happen. An Obama cookbook, or rather, an Obama Foodie book. After all, a guy’s got to eat, right? Even if he is the President of the United States. Steven Black is writing a book about Obama food. Who is Steven Black? Let him tell his own story: Stephen Black has worked in communications all over the world, having worked for CNN, Fuji TV, Cartoon Network, France 2 and Fox. He has worked with noted people from […]

Categories: Cookbooks, Food News • Tags: Barack Obama, Cookbooks, Cooking, Food

Dorothy's Red Heels (Photo credit: Steve Fernie)

In the Kitchen in Kansas … The Food of Obama’s Mother’s Childhood

November 18, 2008 by Cynthia Bertelsen

There’s No Place Like Home … ~~ Dorothy, The Wizard of Oz Kansas is flat, real flat. Yes. And President Barack Obama’s green leaf of choice, arugula, clocks in pretty low on Kansans’ list of comestibles. But none of this means that President Obama doesn’t love Kansas and especially its wholesome, comforting food. That said, there’s nothing the matter with Kansas. Great food. Wonderful pies. Terrific barbecue. True, so true. To balance things out, after writing about Barack Obama’s father’s […]

Categories: American Cooking, Pies--Sweet, Recipes, Salads • Tags: Barack Obama, Cooking, Cooks, Farm Journal, Food, Kansas, Stanley Ann Dunham

USDA Building in Washington, DC (Used with permission.)

Obama’s Secretary of Agriculture: Who Should It Be?

November 17, 2008 by Cynthia Bertelsen

As a food-obsessed person, I am interested in more than just who will be President Barack Obama’s White House chef — I also eagerly await his announcement for his pick for Secretary of Agriculture. In certain circles, people are speculating about who will head up the USDA. George W. Bush has had three different agriculture secretaries. All of the following information comes from Jill Richardson at La Vida Locavore, except for the photos – I wanted faces for the names, […]

Categories: Agriculture, Food News • Tags: Agriculture, Barack Obama, Food, Food Policy, USDA

Cows Owned by Luo People (Used with permission.)

What’s Cooking in Kenya? Ugali, Sukuma Wiki, and the Food of Barack Obama’s Father’s Childhood …

November 15, 2008 by Cynthia Bertelsen

“When two locusts fight, it is always the crow who feasts.” Nigerian saying quoted in Barack Obama’s Dreams of My Father An article in The Times of London stated that Barack Obama’s Kenyan family, members of the Luo group, to celebrate his presidential election victory, slaughtered four bulls, sixteen chickens, and a number of sheep and goats milling around. Grilled meat and beer, plus other dishes, rounded out the menu. But the chief draw was the popular Nyama choma, or […]

Categories: Africa, Corn, Food News, Greens, Recipes • Tags: Barack Obama, Cooking, Dreams of My Father, Food, Kenya, Recipes, Sukuma wiki, Ugali

Barack Obama Takes the Cake, 1240 Cupcakes, That Is

November 11, 2008 by Cynthia Bertelsen

Maybe a little late in the game, but I just learned of this amazing political food art — this is a form of history along the lines of ice carvings and other such things: President-elect Barack Obama in cupcakes. Zilly Rosen of Zillycakes in Buffalo, New York created this stunning mosaic of Obama to celebrate his winning the presidency on November 4, 2008: Now isn’t that something? This mosaic joins the ranks of all the other Obama cookies and cupcakes […]

Categories: Food News • Tags: Barack Obama, Cakes, Food

Chili con Beans (Photo credit: Janice Waltzer)

BARACK OBAMA’S CHILI AND JOHN McCAIN’S RIBS

October 25, 2008 by Cynthia Bertelsen

Barack Obama’s reply to a reporter who asked him in March 2008 what was his favorite dish to take a potluck: Chili. He said that, “I’ve been using this chili recipe since college and would bring it to any potluck. I can’t reveal all the secrets, but if you make it right, it’s just got the right amount of bite, the right amount of oomph in it and it will clear your sinuses.” (See my post on chili, “Chili Days […]

Categories: Beans, Beef, Pork, Recipes • Tags: Barack Obama, Barbecue, Chili, Cooking, Food

Gherkins & Tomatoes

Meditations and Photographs about Food, Cooking, and Life