Schlag, spring peas and wild ramp puree on the menu at tonight's State Dinner

Schlag, spring peas and wild ramp puree on the menu at tonight's State Dinner

June 7th, 2011

06:00 PM ET

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Schlag, spring peas and wild ramp puree on the menu at tonight's State Dinner

Though President Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel delved into classic Washington fare during their two hour meal Monday night at 1789 Restaurant in the historic Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, tonight's State Dinner, will celebrate all things fresh and new - with a sweet nod to the honored guest's homeland.

From the menu provided by the White House:

A Spring Harvest Dinner
The State Dinner for Germany will celebrate the first harvest of the spring. Many of the vegetables and herbs used to prepare this evening’s dinner came from the White House Kitchen Garden. This garden was created by Mrs. Obama in March of 2009 and has become a central hub for activities here at the White House. In the early spring of this year, students from Tubman Elementary and Bancroft Elementary Schools in Washington DC planted vegetables in the White House Kitchen Garden. On June 3rd, only four days shy of the State Dinner, American Indian children joined the First Lady to plant traditional Native American crops and also harvested these vegetables just in time for the dinner.

Local Menu Selection
All of the courses are subtly infused with the perennial and annual herbs from the garden. The first course reflects a cornucopia of spring harvest, aptly named, “White House Garden Chopped Salad.” The salad is tossed in a vinaigrette made with White House honey and apple cider vinegar and garnished with spiced Mammoth Pecans from Georgia.

The tuna in the second course is from Hawaii. The main course consists of Maryland blue crab and is served on a bed of wild ramp puree from West Virginia. The meal is completed with a delicious dessert, an apple strudel. The apples are from Maryland, the raisins from California and the topfen, a Farmer’s Cheese, is from Vermont. The apple and topfen combination is a twist on a traditional German recipe for strudel and will be served with schlag, an unsweetened whipped cream.

Dinner Menu
White House Garden Chopped Salad
Fine Herbs
White House Honey Gastrique
Tuna Tartare with Rye Crisps
Pickled Young Carrots and Mustard Oil
Spring Pea Salad
Shaved Ham and Ginger Snaps
Petite Filet
With Maryland Crab Ravioli
Wild Ramp Puree
Apple Strudel
Golden Raisins and Topfen
An American wine will be paired with each course.

The dinner will take place on the Rose Garden Lawn and guests will be treated to musical performances by members of the National Symphony Orchestra, 15-year old piano protégé George Li and singer/songwriter James Taylor

Read – The hardest ticket to get in town: State Dinners

Previously – Apple pie and White House honey highlight tonight's all-American State Dinner menu and Pickles at the White House

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soundoff (21 Responses)

F. de Luna

Any idea which Amercian wines were chosen??

June 8, 2011 at 1:25 pm |
BAM

What is wild ramp puree?

June 8, 2011 at 9:25 am |
- Anthony Weiner
  
  That is the people of New Orleans left on a highway ramp by our President.
  
  June 8, 2011 at 9:31 am |
  - Ding dong
    
    Former President.
    
    June 8, 2011 at 9:34 am |
- Ding dong
  
  I think it is a sort of leek or onion puree.
  
  June 8, 2011 at 9:35 am |
- jo.
  
  It's a puree of ramps... ramps are a leafy green vegetable.
  
  June 8, 2011 at 11:49 am |
YIKES!!!

@ Michael well stated, I agree. Why bash on any President? Can any of us do a better job than the current man/woman in office? And if you are able, why are you not walking the walk and talking the talk? And recipies would be awesome...that menu sounds yummy. Peace out

June 8, 2011 at 6:35 am |
Mr. Potato Head

What a bunch of animals. Killing and pickling baby carrots. That's inhuman.

June 8, 2011 at 1:30 am |
Michael

Delightful sounding menu and, yes, recipes would be great!
I see the anti-Obama crowd is on duty. Y'all really need to give it a rest sometimes you know. Criticizing the president, any president, for a State Dinner is just lame and an utter FAIL. It's not like these affairs have ever been known for menus of pizza and hot dogs. Of course, if he had served that you'd be griping about how low class he is. This is a food column, not a political forum. Grow up.

June 8, 2011 at 12:49 am |
- candy
  
  Enough said Michael well done
  
  June 8, 2011 at 8:41 am |
FJ

This article reminds me I need to go hit the sack now and get a full night's rest....so I will be well rested tomorrow working all day to pay my taxes to support frivilous waste like this 12 course meal.

June 8, 2011 at 12:30 am |
- candy
  
  Do you always complain on everything the President does
  
  June 8, 2011 at 8:39 am |
James

Figures, Obama using a five time Grammy winner for background music

June 7, 2011 at 9:48 pm |
James

Figures, libs can't get enough of James Taylor, milking his 40 year old hits for all he can get

June 7, 2011 at 9:46 pm |
Kathy C.

On the White House lawn? In this heat?

June 7, 2011 at 7:29 pm |
- Kat Kinsman
  
  Apparently there are outdoor air conditioners they can deploy.
  
  June 7, 2011 at 8:08 pm |
Maris (In Good Taste)

Should NOT have read this hungry.

June 7, 2011 at 7:25 pm |
JBJingles

I wish there were some recipes to go with this...

June 7, 2011 at 6:47 pm |
- Kat Kinsman
  
  I'll see what we can do!
  
  June 7, 2011 at 6:48 pm |
- Dan
  
  Reading this article as I eat hot dogs for the 3rd time this week. Not the hope and change I had hoped for. At least someone is eating well.
  
  June 7, 2011 at 10:04 pm |