Yesterday was held a “state dinner” at the White House to welcome President Hu Jintao of China.
Do you know why we call that a state dinner?
By definition a state dinner is a dinner or banquet (with a lot of protocols) paid by a government and hosted by a head of state in his or her official residence in order to renew and celebrate diplomatic ties between the host country and the country of a foreign head of state or head of government.
In the US, we need to go back in the 19th century, the term state dinner became synonymous with a dinner hosted by the president honoring a foreign head of state. For the anecdote the first state Dinner was held at the White House for King David Kalakaua of the Kingdom of Hawaii, which was hosted by Ulysses S. Grant on December 12, 1874.
What was the menu of yesterday state dinner?
The menu which is generally a four or five course meal was created by White House Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford and White House Pastry Chef William Yosses.
It featured:
– D’ Anjou pear salad with farmstead goat cheese, fennel, black walnuts, and white balsamic
– Poached Maine lobster, orange glaze carrots and black trumpet mushrooms
– Lemon sorbet
– Dry-aged rib eye with buttermilk crisp onions, double-stuffed potatoes and creamed spinach
– Old-fashioned apple pie with vanilla ice cream.
May be you will get busy cooking! Jonathan
American Guest House Bed and Breakfast
