Yousef al Otaiba, the United Arab Emirates ambassador to the United States, invited a group of White House officials, Democratic strategists, media figures and one Republican member of the House to his home in McLean, Virginia Thursday night for an extraordinary, and extraordinarily expensive, meal followed by viewing of Game 7 of the NBA championships.
Al Otaiba brought in legendary Beverly Hills chef Wolfgang Puck for the evening, according to a report from Politico's Mike Allen, and Puck did not disappoint. Here is the menu, with wine pairings, from Allen's dispatch:
1) terrine of foie gras with toasted brioche, seared foie gras with cherry chutney, and mousse on apricot tartlet (Riesling, Hirtzberger, “Singerriedel,” Austria 2004); 2) seared wild salmon with cucumber raita and sweet pea puree (Chardonnay, Littorai, “Mays Canyon,” California 2006); 3) risotto with porcini mushrooms (pinot noir, Clos De Tart, “Grand Cru,” Burgundy 1995); 4) veal Milanese (Barolo, Oddero, Italy 2000); 5) slow braised Kobe short ribs and grilled Kobe New York (cabernet sauvignon, Beaulieu Vineyard, “Georges de Latour,” Napa 2001); 6) strawberry shortcake, chocolate raspberry soufflé and peach cobbler (Grüner Veltliner Eiswein, Anton Bauer, Austria).
After the meal, the group watched the basketball game on al Otaiba's 103-inch television. According to Allen, those invited were Obama White House spokesmen Bill Burton and Josh Earnest, Treasury Department spokeswoman Natalie Wyeth, New York Times White House correspondent Helene Cooper, Politico executive editor Jim VandeHei, "Meet the Press" executive producer Betsy Fischer, ABC News' Jonathan Karl, CNN's Jessica Yellin, MSNBC's Norah O'Donnell, the New Yorker's Ryan Lizza, Democratic strategist Jamal Simmons, and Democratic communications consultant Laura Burton Capps (who is also Bill Burton's wife). Rounding out the group was Illinois Republican Rep. Aaron Schock.
Just a relaxing evening with a few good friends. Me, I gave an open house for some clients who drank some cheap wine, diet Coke, water, and domestic beer along cheese on toothpicks, veggies and dip, meatballs made by our office manager at home and windmill cookies. But then, I was not trying to buy them off.
Read more at the Washington Examiner
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