For those of us curious about what Brit Celeb Chef Jamie Oliver is preparing to serve at Downing Street for this evening's big wig dinner, here's the word from The Guardian:
"The politicians and their wives will begin their meal at Downing Street with a starter of organic Scottish salmon served with samphire and sea kale, and a selection of vegetables from Sussex, Surrey and Kent.
For the main course, Oliver has plumped for slow-roasted shoulder of lamb from the Elwy Valley in north Wales, with Jersey Royal potatoes, wild mushrooms and mint sauce.
Dessert will be an old teatime favourite – bakewell tart and custard.
Vegetarians at the meal will be offered a goat's cheese starter followed by lovage and potato dumplings for the main course.
Pork has purposefully been left off the menu to avoid awkward moments with the Muslim guests, such as the Turkish prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Only the contents of the bread basket have a vaguely foreign flavour – Oliver has chosen to serve Irish soda bread.
Oliver said: "I'm very, very proud of my country and its food traditions and I know that the guests at Downing Street will be in for a real treat.""
Samphire? It's a seaside plant in the UK that is named after St. Peter, French version, St. Pierre. According to this, samphire is mentioned by the Bard in King Lear, a dollop of lit I must have missed back in the day.
BTW Spouses will dine separately from the annointed leaders, but partake of the same meal.
( Tks to http://www.theworldwidegourmet.com/products/herbs/samphire/ for photo.)
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