The New First Eaters You know who the new First Family is, well as Karen Herzog over at The Journal Sentinel points out, the new First Family also happens to be the new First Eaters; and so far the new First Eaters have embraced a pleasing bipartisan spirit in the White House Kitchen.
First Lady Michelle Obama retained chef Cristeta Comerford, previously appointed by Laura Bush. “Also the mom of a young daughter,”says Michelle Obama of Cristeta Comerford, “I appreciate our shared perspective on the importance of healthy eating and healthy families.” Comerford was originally recruited by executive chef Walter Scheib, a Clinton appointee; but Laura Bush fired Scheib becauseaccording to insidershe was schooled in the culinary tradition of Escoffier, the iconic French figure among chefs and gourmets. You don’t think France’s refusal to support the US-led invasion of Iraq had an influence, do you? But the following revelation is even more macabre: according to The Swift Report, the Bush’s forced Scheib to forego his penchant for French cuisine on the inaugural menu, and instead honor the brand names of a dozen top Bush campaign and GOP donors, Ã la Coca-Cola, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts and Pilgrim’s Pride Whole Butter Basted Turkeys. Bon Appetit. Where’s Chris Farley when you need him? Not even food escapes the political fray in Washington.
In the early years of The White House, African American kitchen staff had rooms in the basement. Moving up those few steps and into the Oval Office was a long, hard journeya journey whose collective travelers would have been stunned had they known of America’s future obsession for the minutiae of their new leader’s eating habits. “Everything he [President Obama] puts in his mouth is getting scrutinized,” said Eddie Gehman Kohan, a Los Angeles-based food writer who launched the “Obama Foodorama” blog. Kohan’s blog reportedly gets thousands of hits a day. Judging by the fit looks of the President and First Lady, sound nutrition and a well-balanced diet are priorities the Obama’s have long since firmly grasped. Chef Cristeta Comerford shouldn’t find it difficult to please her new boss, as long as President Obama is not forced to eat crow. In the mean time, considering the state of our economy and President Obama’s daunting task of saving America from the throwes of a possible depression, the public relations staff may advise Chef Comerford to include Top Ramen on the menu, only a few nights a week mind you, just as a good will gesture to America’s unemployed. But we both know that’s not going to happen. Lobster will be served instead.
Laura Bush may have been on to something. I’d put a hold on any French cuisine for fear of guilt by association to Marie Antoinette. It was her that said, “Let them eat cake”.
<This is our first entry for the blogger contest. Please comment below if you like their post>