The Inaugural Menu: one word, VILE

(Edit: Jan 21, 6.04am) Ahem, well, this turns out to be a joke. Hey I'm just a silly food blogger, what do I know? Isn't it interesting how credible this seemed though, in the face of all the other incredulous stuff this admin has shown us ?

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Thanks to my friend Lizzie and the Swift Report, I've seen what will be served at the inaugural dinner this weekend. One word fits to describe it, vile. Just vile. Apparently the menu has been created to feature products made by companies run or owned by one of the Pioneers or Rangers, fundraisers who managed to gather together at least 100K and 200k, respectively, for the Bush-Cheney campaign.

Yes, they are mainly large agro-business conglomerates which make everything from Coca Cola to Krispy Kreme doughnuts and Pilgrim's Pride turkeys. Delicious sounding, no?

So you want to hear about the dishes? Try this, Krispy Kremes donuts as the basis for Snowballs in a Hot Fudge sauce made from Nestlé Nesquick. Dunkin Donuts old-fashioned cake doughnuts will be a part of a sweet and savory stuffing for a Pilgrim's Pride Whole Butter Basted Turkeys. Adding insult to injury, the bird will be brined in Coca Cola, yet another major donor, for two days.

"I've never had to create dishes that include soda, doughnuts and canned fruit before," says Scheib, who received his training at the Culinary Institute of America, and cooked at the Capitol Hilton in Washington and the Boca Raton Club before accepting the honor of "top toque" in the White House kitchens. But he says he's not worried. "I've already changed the way I cook and have given up all French recipes. This should be a snap," says Scheib, referring to the White House's ban on béchame/beurre blanc after France refused to support the administration's decision to go to war in Iraq.

Frankly, I haven't felt so sorry -just plain sorry- for someone is such a long time. I kept expecting the chef to beg his leave and go commit Seppuku in his kitchen out of shame.

(Click on the menu to see details--but consider yourself warned, adverse affects may follow, especially if you've just eaten.)

Comments

[Yish]

Aaaargh!!! you should warn people before they click. I think I need to go out for some fresh air before I get sick.

"We are ugly, brutal stupid white men. yeah! burp! and we're proud of it!"

[Jeanne]

Well, hallelujah - the weapons of mass destruction have been found! And to think they were hiding in plain sight on the inaugural menu...

Besides, I thought the US constitution bans cruel and unusual punishment - if this food were fed to Iraqui POWs there would certainly be an outcry...

[Matthew]

omg. It would almost be funny if you were thinking it up for a joke. Makes you glad you dont have to eat this stuff.

[Cooking with Amy]

What? You don't think Turkey stuffed with donuts will catch on and sweep the country?

[Richard]

I hope, Pim, that you relaize this is a joke. That was not the menu. Look at what is posted on the rest of the site.

[mindy]

disgusting and crass like him.............

[ExtraMSG]

Ha! Classic!

The forger's best tool is the person willing to believe anything about someone they don't like. Dang, Pim, this was pretty darned obvious.

[ExtraMSG]

btw, so far here's the list of the luncheon menu at least:

"There were 146 members of the Bush clan in Washington for the celebration, and the president's immediate family attended the traditional lunch after the swearing-in ceremony at the Statuary Hall of the Capitol. Guests ate quail breasts, scalloped lobster and crab, and braised turnips, beets and rutabagas - a menu inspired by food served during the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt and by game shot on the Lewis and Clark expedition in the early 1800's."

From:

http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050121/ZNYT02/501210490

[ExtraMSG]

And a bit more:

"Contrast that with the menus for the second inauguration of President George W. Bush and the language turns to English instead of French. Guests at three balls were to dine on lobster medallions with orange and grapefruit sections, filet of beef tenderloin with asparagus, baby carrots, potatoes au gratin and Georgia peach crumble with vanilla ice cream.

At President Bush's first inaugural, the dinner menu was also American: a seafood assortment, lamb with red Swiss chard sautéed with cranberries, and a mushroom and corn soufflé. For dessert, an apple tart and cinnamon ice cream.

The exclusive luncheon following the swearing-in, where the president dines with congressional leaders in the Capitol, is the province of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. Today's meal, marking the bicentennial of the Lewis and Clark expedition reaching the Pacific and the centennial of Theodore Roosevelt's second inaugural, reflects elements of both eras.

The opener, scalloped crab and lobster, is to be prepared in a cream sauce popular in the late 19th century. Roasted Missouri quail with chestnuts and brined root vegetables follow, though the Corps of Discovery probably never ate this on ''amber-colored pressed velvet tablecloths,'' as the congressional guests will. As for dessert, steamed lemon pudding was a favorite of Teddy Roosevelt, and it is to be served with apple wild cherry compote, reminiscent of Lewis and Clark."

From:

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/living/food/10681262.htm?1c

(An interesting article that talks about the history of inaugural menus.)

[mike czyzewski]

trio of safeway greens served with anheuser-busch beer. heh heh. so i could eat like the president if i wanted to? heh heh.

that sounds so disgusting.
mike

[Eric]

Sorry, don't believe what you posted as inaugural menu. Regret to think you've been played.

[anthony]

Ha! It's not the veracity but the plausibility. What a disgrace.

[Alex]

Anthony -- "fake but accurate"?

[panasianbiz]

I stumbled across your blog while I was doing some online research. I'm not sure "vile" is a strong enough word to describe some of these dishes. "Demented" is more like it!