Big thanks to Fausta for title update. Now I have to go get a language pack update.
Thanks, Fausta!
Hola! It’s time for our first historic Mexican Fiesta! Our 2 previous Cinco de Mayo parties don’t count, because 1) it’s not a real Mexican holiday, and 2) the only real Mexicans in attendance were serving nachos. I can’t tell you too much about it yet because we’re keeping the details “debajo de nuestros sombreros,” if you know what I’m saying. And let’s face it, by now you should.
We’ll be honoring Mexican President Philipe “Speedy” Calderon and his lovely wife, Margarita Zavala. I am not looking forward to this. The last time we had to share the spotlight with Margi, MO was her usual post-having –to-share-the-spotlight-with-attractive-foreign-first-lady b*%#hy self for weeks. Again, if you know what I’m saying.
And I’m afraid to think of what we will be pulling on over our Spanx this time in order to look young, cool and Mexican:
Lady M Teaching Mexican Children To Fly in case somebody actually builds that fence.
We’ve always prided ourselves around here on our “controlled-leak” skills. I’m sure I don’t have to remind you how hard that was with Desi “The Sieve” in the loop, but with Smooty here, that’s all changed. The Smoot would be a great spy, because you can’t get a thing out of her. Either that, or MO just never tells her anything.
Reinas del Partido: Desi y Smooty
Now we are a tight lipped ship. Even the usual “in the know” media sources like The Hill was in the dark. I bet they miss Desi:
A spokeswoman for the White House social secretary's office (that’s Smooty) had even less to say about the upcoming state dinner, refusing to answer any questions about guests, invitations or entertainment.
What is known so far is that guest chef Rick Bayless will travel to Washington from Chicago in advance to prepare the meal, and that he'll use greens, herbs and radishes from the White House kitchen garden.
They could only identify one “guest”: New Mexico Gov. Guillermo Richardson. And he held a presser to announce that he will attend.
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson's (D) staff announced Saturday that he will attend, but other than that the list is mum thus far.
I don’t know if Guillermo’s dreaming or just doing some wishful thinking, because I have the guest list on my HD and I don’t see his name.
They got the guest celebrity chef right: Chicago’s “Frontera Grill” chef/owner, Rick Bayless. Let’s see: Only famous Mexican chef in America and proprietor of one of the O’s most favorite restaurants in Chi-town - that took a lot of heavy lifting.
What is known so far is that guest chef Rick Bayless will travel to Washington from Chicago in advance to prepare the meal, and that he'll use greens, herbs and radishes from the White House kitchen garden.
Yum-O!!!
Rick, I mean. Isn’t he cute? And he’s got his own show on PBS, so he’s, like, HUGE.
I’ve never been to his Grill, though the WONs “love it”, even though they both add extra “hot sauce,” which drives Ricky mad.
Maybe that’s why he was busy spilling the refried beans, first over at HuffPo :
. . . Bayless will serve a 28-ingredient Oaxacan black mole at the state dinner . . .
Moles? For dinner? And black ones at that!?!
Eeewwww! That brings back horrible hard drive flashbacks of the “Iron Chef” competition, (which we WON!):
Comfy Tossing Mouse Into Skillet: Mouse Escaped
Then, Ricky gets a call from the NYT, where he spills even more black beans:
He said his selection as chef for this dinner showed that he had “contributed something that the public at large wants and respects.” And he said it is significant because “when we are doing something very special it no longer has to be European or gussied-up American but from the heritage of a whole bunch of people in our country who have never been in the spotlight.” (wow! that last part sounds like he’s channeling Lady M!)
He couldn’t resist taking a jab at French cooking, which for generations was the only cuisine appropriate for state dinners. “French chefs come to the kitchen and are amazed at how complex Mexican food is, the layering of flavors,” Mr. Bayless said. “The food speaks for itself. It’s not being whipped into submission like a French chef would do.”
Whoa, big boy! You’re only cooking for Tex-Mex night at the Big White, let’s not lose our perspective here. It’s not like you’ve been asked to do something really important like getting rid of children’s fat behinds. Or sealing the border. (I think that last one’s going to be Guillermo’s job, if he actually gets invited.)
But he did give us all one of the recipes he’ll be preparing for the big fiesta, and it’s not the one with the moles in it. It’s not even black: Green Ceviche With Cucumber.
I thought we were done with smelly raw fish after Denmark and Norway. I hope he doesn’t get upset if we have bottles of hot sauce on the table. It’s the best way to get rid of the fishy smell.
No word yet on the beverage service: I’m guessing Margaritas, Tequila shooters and Mescal. I’ll report back when I have more.
Until then, Ole!
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