The Guild 4-27-2005 Confections of a Beltway insider

u-dailynews.com ^ | Tuesday, April 26, 2005 | Natalie Haughton

[BigWaveBetty]

Hail to the chef: Former White House pastry guru shares his sweet secrets

Imagine spending almost 25 years in the White House pastry kitchen as the executive pastry chef for five presidents and first families, doing your work surrounded by pounds of butter, chocolate, cream, fresh fruits and sugar. While the job may sound like a dessert lover's dream, it's not always as sweet as it seems.

Just ask French-born patissier Roland R. Mesnier, who retired last July. Lately he's been traveling throughout the country promoting his first cookbook, "Dessert University" (Simon & Schuster; $40), which took four years to write with help from Lauren Chattman. The 545 pages are filled with all kinds of show-stopping desserts, many from his White House years.

During his time in the White House (1980-2004) he designed and created some 3,000 different desserts with the help of one full-time assistant.

"It was a great challenge. I didn't have much of a personal life for 25 years," Mesnier says.

He was in charge of ordering all the pastry ingredients and arranging for pickup. "There was no delivery at the White House - and all vendors were checked by the Secret Service."

Starting with Nancy Reagan, Mesnier presented dessert tastings to the first ladies for approval, prior to state dinners. After a lot of research, he always tried to include something in his desserts that reflected the invited leader's country. For instance, blown-sugar giraffes for Kenya, flower leis made of sugar for the Philippines, tiny chocolate replicas of Big Ben for England, and a white tiger out of white chocolate and a lotus flower out of sorbets for India.

"Mesnier never repeated the same dessert in all the state dinners," notes Francois Dionot, owner/founder/president of the culinary school L'Academie de Cuisine in Bethesda, Md., who has known the pastry guru for 30 years. "To me, he is the king of sugar work - spun sugar, poured sugar, rock sugar, pulled sugar. Very few people know how to do this anymore. He makes roses that look real."

Mesnier was known for making cakes just so he could put them under a sugar piece. "He's very talented in everything in desserts," says Dionot.

Every first lady put her stamp on the White House - and Mesnier says he's enjoyed them all.

"Mrs. (Rosalynn) Carter spent less time worrying about what was served at a dinner party, but she loved desserts," he says. During Nancy Reagan's time, "the White House became a showcase of grand cuisine. She was determined to have new desserts for every dinner, and she was very demanding."

Mesnier recalled the time, two days before the arrival of the queen of the Netherlands for a state dinner for 150 people, that Nancy Reagan rejected four different desserts. She told him to make 14 sugar baskets decorated with half a dozen sugar tulips and filled with assorted sorbets and fresh fruit. She then said, " 'Don't forget you have two days and two nights,' " Mesnier remembers. The chef pulled it off without any help: "Mrs. Reagan made me a better pastry chef," he says.

With the witty and smart Barbara Bush, "the house took on a different dimension - with children laughing, dogs barking, etc. She didn't make waves with what was served.

"The Clintons, very charismatic people, were very casual - and the only family that ate in the kitchen. Mrs. (Hillary) Clinton was very political - it was like having a second president in the White House." During their eight years, the number of people invited to the White House increased dramatically, as did Mesnier's work load. Mrs. Clinton favored leaner cuisine and plated service for desserts.

"First lady Laura Bush is meticulous - and the house is sparkling," he says. "She has a great knowledge of food and how it should be prepared and (how it should) taste."

Over the years, Mesnier has focused on reducing calories in desserts but without sacrificing flavor. His strategies include reducing sugar, butter, cream and eggs, using low-fat or regular milk instead of cream and sometimes cornstarch to make a thicker base.

"There are at least 50 recipes (out of 300) in the book that would qualify as low-calorie desserts."

His penchant for desserts dates back to the summer fruit tarts of every color and flavor he enjoyed during his childhood. "My mother was a wonderful chef - an unbelievable home cook."

His five golden rules for making great desserts: "Learn the basics and then practice, practice, practice; respect the classics; value economy and simplicity; focus on flavor; and be an artist, develop your talent."

CHEF PROFILE ...

ROLAND R. MESNIER

Age: 60.
Profession: Pastry chef.
Hometown: Bonnay, France.
Food background: Mesnier began a three-year apprenticeship in a pastry shop near his home at age 14. He went on to stints as a pastry cook/assistant in pastry shops and hotels in Paris, Germany (Hannover and Hamburg) and London. Eventually, he became head pastry chef at the Princess Hotel in Bermuda.

After a stint at The Homestead, a resort in Hot Springs, Va., he landed the ultimate pastry job: In December 1979, Rosalynn Carter hired him to be the White House pastry chef - and for almost 25 years his desserts were on view to the world - until he retired in July 2004. Kitchen secret: Work with all of your ingredients at room temperature (including eggs).

Three favorite foods: A good steak, a good apple pie a la mode, honey ice cream.

Favorite junk foods: A good hamburger and a good doughnut.

Foods he hates: Cilantro, dill, onions.

Secret food passion: A good pate.

Favorite kitchen gadget: A homemade cherry pitter (made with a wine cork and a ladies' hairpin).

Pet peeve: Mediocrity in the hotel and pastry industry. Ideal vacation: Alaska.

Favorite restaurant: Jean Marc Raynud in Tain L'Hermitage (near Lyon), France.

Pastimes: Fishing, gardening, cultivating roses, working on recipes for upcoming cookbooks (a cake volume is in the works).

Family: Wife, Martha, and a 35-year-old son, George. If he couldn't be a pastry chef, what would he be?: An actor.

Worst White House kitchen disaster: The time the eggs for the hot raspberry souffles for a state dinner wouldn't whip (guests were in the dining room). "I was sweating bullets (and could visualize this as my last day at the White House)." But fortunately, he started with new egg whites, adding sugar to them instead of an Italian meringue, to gain time, and the souffles came out beautifully. Worst part of being the White House pastry chef: "The inside politicking among the White House staff."

[mountaineer]

Where in the world is Bill Clinton? He's back in the saddle (so to speak), post-surgery and after returning from his "solo" (ahem, cough cough) vacation to Kiawah Island. Yesterday, in New Hampshire for a booksigning:

MANCHESTER (AP) — At least 60 fans of former President Clinton camped out overnight at a bookstore parking lot in hopes of getting his signature on a copy of his memoir, "My Life." ...

Among those in line was another writer, Rosamond van der Linde of Island Pond Road in Manchester. She said she got a special response from Clinton when she mentioned "A Piano in Every Room," a memoir of her life. Clinton addressed the crowd and told them that "everybody over the age of 50 should sit down and write about their life," van der Linde said. "He took my card and he's going to get my book. It was like my life to his life or his life to my life, however you want to look at it." ... [Sure he will, Rosamond. He means everything he says.] source

Then on to Boston:

Flanked by young volunteers in a Quincy warehouse yesterday, former President Bill Clinton applauded the Cradles to Crayons organization for taking part in the ``explosion'' of new civic agencies caring for people close to home.

``Sometimes we ignore the needs in our own community and nothing could be more important than getting kids a good start in life,'' Clinton said. ``There are more and more children in this community and this country that are born into struggling families.''

The nonprofit organization, which was founded by former Clinton policy adviser Lynn Margherio in 2002, provided 16,000 children statewide last year with clothing, school supplies, toys, car seats and strollers. ... source

Isn't that exactly what both presidents Bush have called for, that is, more local charitable operations without the need for government interference? Anyway, today he's on to Brown University:

Former President Bill Clinton is set to speak at Brown University this afternoon. Clinton will be delivering a policy address this afternoon. This morning, he'll be at the Brown Bookstore to sign copies of his autobiography, "My Life." His speech follows in the afternoon, and Clinton will also be receiving an award from the Brown Democrats. They're presenting him with the First Annual John F- Kennedy Junior Memorial Award for Public Service. source

[BigWaveBetty]

But Kozlowski — or rather Tyco — wildly overpaid for what he apparently believed were incredibly rare items.

Can you say kickback?

On the menu today? Giraffe! That is, if you can get to it before Mugabe's henchmen claim it for themselves.

Mugabe orders wildlife reserves to kill animals

[BigWaveBetty]

Nearly lost my afternoon snack when I spied that blouse on Hillary. I also noticed all the pretense of the South Beach Diet has been abandoned as she waddled up to the microphone.

OTOH, Rummy is as svelte as ever and hanging out with his hommies...

U.S. Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld (C) playfully flexes his muscles alongside Marvel comic heroes Spiderman (L) and Captain America during a promotion of a special military-themed custom marvel comic, at the Pentagon in Washington, April 28, 2005. More than one million copies of Marvel's 'Salute our troops' comic books will be distributed in May to U.S. troops deployed around the world. REUTERS/Jason Reed

[BigWaveBetty]

They're presenting him with the First Annual John F- Kennedy Junior Memorial Award for Public Service.

Are they making up booby prizes for clinton now? He missed out on the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award again this year.

[mountaineer]

If we think real hard, we may remember all the "public service" accomplished by JFK Jr. For that matter, for what service was x42 feted? His phony baloney foundation's support for AIDS patients? What has he done personally (with his own money)?

[BigWaveBetty]

Bill and Hill are saving their money to buy off "journalists" to rewrite history...

asked by Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York during a hearing on Thursday whether "North Korea has the ability to arm a missile with a nuclear device," Admiral Jacoby responded, "The assessment is that they have the capability to do that, yes ma'am."

In an interview on Thursday, Mrs. Clinton called Admiral Jacoby's statement "the first confirmation, publicly, by the administration that the North Koreans have the ability to arm a missile with a nuclear device that can reach the United States," adding, "Put simply, they couldn't do that when George Bush became president, and now they can." story

!!%%$#!! &%$%^^!!!

[gopwinsin04]

I love that Rummy picture!

[gopwinsin04]

Helen Thomas aging like a fine bottle of Boone's Farm Wine at the press conference...

[gopwinsin04]

Demi's Vegas wedding alert, Bill in late night 1AM trouble again with a blonde...and stars without makeup!

[BigWaveBetty]

SkyNews sez that Star photo of Brad and Angie is a cut and paste. US Weekly has the exclusive pic.

[mountaineer]

Helen Thomas aging like a fine bottle of Boone's Farm Wine

More like a bottle of diaper squeezings.

[gopwinsin04]

The Enquirer and In Touch also went with the movie promo shots and declined to pay the big bucks...

[gopwinsin04]

Katie has got to ditch the high heels, Ol' Tommy Boy looks like a munchkin again!

[gopwinsin04]

The more things change, the more they stay the same...a redheaded themed post from this weeks People Magazine cover!

[Iowa Granny]

It's been a long time since Ann Margaret looked that good! Altho, as I recall, the last time I saw her I thought she had cetainly aged gracefully.

[gopwinsin04]

Ann said in People Magazine one of her beauty secrets is staying out of the sun...

[mountaineer]

I heard Katie is an inch taller than Tommy even before she puts on shoes. He likes 'em tall - Nicole was 3 inches taller.

Now for some news:

"HANOI" Jane Fonda has at least one admirer of her Vietnam War-era antics. Rosie O'Donnell ranted to Fox News Channel's Geraldo Rivera in a taped interview that will air tonight: "All I know is that when I was a kid and the Vietnam War was on and Jane Fonda was the only person standing up and saying what every kid that was 9 years old like I was knew — war is wrong and we shouldn't go over and kill people . . . You know [President Bush] invaded a sovereign nation [Iraq] in defiance of the U.N. He is basically a war criminal! He should be tried in the Hague! . . . My publicist says I should stop talking about politics." (Page Six)

I'm guessing Rosie would have objected to our involvement in WWII, as well.

[gopwinsin04]

Katie is about 5' 9 according to her imdb.com bio so with heels that would make her about 6ft.

Tommy is like 5' 7 with lifts in his shoes...(and I've seen him in person at the drugstore!)

[mountaineer]

More H'wood skank scoop:

Whoa, Teri Hatcher! The "Desperate Housewives" star was making out so ferociously with her new, younger man at Cain on Thursday night, onlookers wondered whether she was kissing him or eating him.

She came to the club with the lucky guy, described by one witness as "looking kind of like Kid Rock. He had blond hair in a ponytail and tattoos all over. Wearing a white wife-beater [never a good sign!] and jeans." .... rest of story

[gopwinsin04]

Live thread tonight for the WH Correspondants Dinner? (and Larry Klayman cocktail party stalking beforehand, natch)