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Wait! We're Not Done with Bush Yet...

3:18 PM, January 19, 2009 | Comments (25)
Celebratory is a safe way to describe the mood in Washington. And not just for Barack Obama's big day on Tuesday. When Obama raises his right hand, it will mark for millions of his supporters the end of something else. At Dupont Circle in Northwest Washington,...

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Posted Friday, January 09, 2009 4:23 PM

What's for Lunch?

Daniel Stone
Though Barack Obama is many things, one thing he is not is a foodie. As reporters on the campaign trail often noticed, the president elect eats for nutrition, not for taste. A healthy meal of chicken and broccoli was common, and only when he had to oblige local media did Obama smile through local specialties, like syrup-dripping waffles or greasy cheese steaks.

But on the day Obama will become president, he will have no choice but to eat fancily -- tasting food that would make even the most hardened Top Chef judge drool. Early Friday, the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies released the menu for Obama's celebratory lunch that will immediately follow the swearing in ceremony. Here's the rundown:

Appetizer
Seafood Stew
Duckhorn Vineyards, 2007 Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley

Entree
A brace of American birds (pheasant and duck), served with sour cherry chutney and molasses sweet potatoes
Goldeneye, 2005 Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley

Dessert
Apple Cinnamon Sponge Cake and Sweet Cream Glacé
Korbel Natural “Special Inaugural Cuvée,” California Champagne

The wines come from California, a tip of the hat to Dianne Feinstein, chairwoman of the inaugural committee. The Korbel champagne was made specifically for the luncheon. The china and flatware were chosen as replications of china that Mary Todd Lincoln brought with her to the White House.

According to Elizabeth Goldsmith, a professor at Florida State University who specializes in, among other things, inaugural luncheons, up to a dozen catering companies from the Washington region compete (in secret, for security reasons) for the opportunity to serve the new president and about 200 guests on his big day. This year, the winner was Design Cuisine, a catering company based in Arlington, VA, that tailored the menu perfectly to please the staff of the inaugural committee. The committee hosts a tasting before seeking a final decisions from Obama's staff. Traditionally, the caterer releases recipes for the dishes after the luncheon.

The meal might be in honor of Obama, but it certainly doesn't reflect his food tastes. For weeks, Goldsmith had speculated that Obama and his staff would choose "some down-home dishes from Chicago" and maybe some pineapple or tropical fruit as a nod to the diverse background of Obama. But in a statement, the inaugural committee says that the full luncheon menu is actually shaped not around Obama, but on Abraham Lincoln. "Growing up in the frontier regions of Kentucky and Indiana, the sixteenth President favored simple foods including root vegetables and wild game. As his tastes matured, he became fond of stewed and scalloped oysters. For dessert or a snack, nothing pleased him more than a fresh apple or an apple cake."

A detailed depiction of Lincoln's taste buds isn't too shabby for a man who died almost 150 years ago. A full mapping of Obama's seems much harder to come by.
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