President Obama's Official State Dinner Menu

Last night, President and Mrs. Obama hosted an official state dinner for President Hu of The People's Republic of China. 225 guests attended the dinner, held in The White House. Of those guests, only 20 were actually in the same room as President and Mrs. Obama and President Hu. The rest...

By Laine Doss

January 20, 2011

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Last night, President and Mrs. Obama hosted an official state dinner for President Hu of The People's Republic of China.

225 guests attended the dinner, held in The White House. Of those guests, only 20 were actually in the same room as President and Mrs. Obama and President Hu. The rest of the guests dined in separate rooms and watched the toasts on television monitors.

Since you're probably wondering why you never got your invitation to the dinner, here's what you missed:

The Entertainment:

Herbie Hancock, Chris Botti, Lang Lang, Dianne Reeves and Dee Dee Bridgewater performed.

The menu:

D'Anjou Pear Salad with Farmstead Goat Cheese Fennel, black walnuts and white balsamic
Poached Maine Lobster, Orange glaze carrots and black trumpet mushrooms
Wine--Dumul Chardonnay "Russian River" 2008
Lemon sorbet
Dry aged rib eye with buttermilk crisp onions
Double stuffed potatoes and creamed spinach
Wine--Quilceda Creek Cabernet "Columbia Valley" 2005
Old fashioned apple pie with vanilla ice cream
Wine-- Poet's Leap Riesling "botrytis" 2008

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Laine Doss is the food and spirits editor for Miami New Times, covering the restaurant and bar scene in South Florida. She has been featured on Cooking Channel’s Eat Street and Food Network’s Great Food Truck Race. Doss won an Alternative Weekly award for her feature on what it’s like to wait tables. In a previous life, she appeared off-Broadway and shook many a cocktail as a bartender at venues in South Florida and New York City. When she’s not writing, you can find Doss running some marathon then celebrating at the nearest watering hole.

Contact: Laine Doss

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