Establishing goodwill and building on an already strong foundation. That was the motive behind the "Taste of Korea" event in Washington.

A number of activities were held to help foster better understanding between Korean and American cultures. Youngsters enjoyed everything from a cooking lesson and arts and crafts to live music and a martial arts demonstration.

Twenty middle school students from Alice Deal Middle School in Washington were invited to the festivities. They were joined by twenty Korean American students - all of them children of employees of the Embassy of Korea.
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Editor's note: Tune in as Dr. Sanjay Gupta explores the signs, tests and lifestyle changes that could make cardiac problems a thing of the past on "The Last Heart Attack," Sunday 8 p.m. ET.

Dr. Dean Ornish who designed a diet and lifestyle to reverse heart disease will answer your questions Thursday, August 18, at noon EST in a Twitter chat. Tweet your questions to @CNNhealth using #LastHeartAttack or ask in the comments at CNN Health.

By the time he reached the White House, Bill Clinton's appetite was legend. He loved hamburgers, steaks, chicken enchiladas, barbecue and french fries but wasn't too picky. At one campaign stop in New Hampshire, he reportedly bought a dozen doughnuts and was working his way through the box until an aide stopped him.
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The long road to compromise over America's debt ceiling was paved with harsh words, hard work and, of course, takeout dinners.

Beyond the headlines and the partisan attacks were the real people doing the work of governing - and working up quite an appetite. And those folks feeding the hungry mouths on Capitol Hill kept things moving. As one 18-hour day rolled into another, takeout kept people going.

"Pizza seems to be the food of choice when they are arguing," Ron Neumeyer, part owner of Armand's Pizza franchise in Washington D.C. explained to CNN’s Lisa Desjardins. Guys like Neumeyer, those veteran caterers of late-night policy debates, know to keep an eye on the news because intractable debate means an uptick in orders.

Still, this time, they noticed something different.

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One night at a party, many years back, talk turned - as it often does at the very best soirees - to incumbent governors of Massachusetts. I've always asserted that the friend with whom I was chatting that fateful evening could, if he so chose, pass for member of the Kennedy family. Fine head of hair on that kid to this very day, and so I just assume everything that comes from his mouth as pertains to Bay State politics to be indisputable fact.

"Mint Romney," he said, "Will run for president someday."
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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.

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From today's CNN Political Ticker "Bush breaks silence on bin Laden"

"Bush said he was eating soufflé with Laura Bush and two friends when he got the call from the president. He then excused himself and returned home to take Obama's call."

Emily Schultze is a CNN Senior White House Producer

First Lady Michelle Obama joined two dozen local elementary schools kids on the South Lawn for the third spring planting of the White House garden. Assistant White House Chef Sam Kass oversaw this year’s seedlings which included spinach, broccoli, turnips and swiss chard.

According to Kass the 1500 square foot garden has produced over 2000 pounds of food in the 3 years. He noted most of the food is used in the White House but a full third of it goes to Miriam’s Kitchen, a local mission that provides food to the homeless.

The 1600 Report has Obama....no beets about it

Get gardening at home with this easy-start guide

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Larry Shaughnessy is CNN's Pentagon Producer

WASHINGTON (CNN) - France's reputation for fine cuisine is well established. So when one of France's top government officials came to visit Washington, you'd think he'd be treated to dinner at one of Washington's most trendy, elite restaurants - the kind that get mentioned on food blogs or in glossy magazines.

Instead, Defense Secretary Robert Gates took his counterpart, the French Minister of Defense, Alain Juppe, to Gadsby's, an Arlington, Va tavern that serves down-to-earth fare like meatloaf and pork chops.

When Gates mentioned the dinner to reporters Tuesday, it wasn't Gadsby's food he mentioned; it was the restaurant's more than 225 years of history.

"Last evening, I had the pleasure of hosting Minister Juppé along with other French and U.S. officials for dinner at a tavern where Secretary of State John Quincy Adams played host to General Lafayette in 1824. Two centuries later, France remains our strong and valued partner on the global stage."

General Lafayette was one of the French generals who served in the American Continental Army under George Washington during the Revolutionary war. Being treated to dinner at a tavern that once played host to the French hero seemed to delight Minister Juppe.

"I appreciate very much, Mr. Secretary, our wonderful dinner yesterday evening in a very elegant place. And we served prestigious predecessors; I am here after Lafayette. And for me, it's a very great honor."
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The President and Mrs. Obama are setting out quite a spread for guests at the White House Super Bowl party, making sure both sides of the gridiron are represented. Brewskis include Hinterland Pale Ale & Amber Ale from Wisconsin, Yuengling Lager and Light from Pennsylvania and White House Honey Ale.

Our pals at Political Ticker have the rest of the menu, but before you click over, take a gander at the formula for the most crowd-pleasing chili there is. (Spoiler alert - despite the picture above, it *probably* doesn't include lima beans. Or salad.)
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