Bushes to lunch with French President Sarkozy, wife at Kennebunkport Saturday

Boston.com ^ | August 8, 2007 | staff

[Cincinna]

President Bush and French President Nicolas Sarkozy will meet this weekend at the coastal Maine home of Bush's parents, the White House said Wednesday.

Sarkozy is vacationing at an estate on Lake Winnipesaukee in Wolfeboro, N.H., about 50 miles away from Kennebunkport, Maine, where former President George H.W. Bush and his wife, Barbara, own a seaside compound called Walker's Point.

The president arrives in Kennebunkport on Thursday, staying through the weekend for a wedding. The Bushes are having Sarkozy and his wife, Cecilia, to a private lunch on Saturday, presidential spokesman Tony Snow said. Laura Bush extended the invitation during meetings of world leaders in Germany in June, Snow said.

"The U.S. and France share the deepest of friendship," Snow said. "They've worked together since the founding of our nation to protect freedom around the world."

[Cincinna]

Let's see what the Leftists make of this, since the invitation was extended in June.

We are hoping this will be a glorious Maine day, and the two families can get together and get to know each other in a beautiful setting.

[Cincinna]

"COME BY, LET'S VISIT"

First lady Laura Bush invited the new first couple of France to the Bush family compound in Kennebunkport, Maine, at the Group of Eight summit in Germany in June, White House spokesman Tony Snow said on Wednesday.

"It looks like we're on the verge of a new era of relations with the French, which is a good thing," Snow said. "I'm sure he'll talk about some international matters, but this is not a summit, this is not something with an agenda. The agenda is come by and let's visit," Snow said.

[Lexinom]

Excellent news!

[WoofDog123]

“”The U.S. and France share the deepest of friendship,” Snow said. “They’ve worked together since the founding of our nation to protect freedom around the world.”:

Moronic quotes for the historically ignorant - The french monarchy did not count ‘protecting freedom’ among supporting the American colonies in their insurrection against George III.

[WoofDog123]

“among supporting “

should read “among motives for supporting”

[endthematrix]

Post French Revolution (1789 French Declaration of Rights) perhaps? That quote is revistionsit history though.

[WoofDog123]

“That quote is revistionsit history though.’

Yeah aka A Lie.

Snow knows this, presumably, but it’s part of the job to mouth fraudulent or simply bizarre platitudes when appropriate.

[Cincinna]

Perhaps the monarchy did not, but the fighting young men, the best and the brightest of the French aristocracy, like Lafayette, Noailles, Rochambeau, came to aid in our fight for Liberty, and were influential in getting Louis XVI to send troops and money.

[Rudder]

Some good ol’ American fare is in order for such an occasion: deep-fried Texas Bullfrog legs, Freedom Fries and a 2006 White Port and lemon juice.

[Cincinna]

Since neither Sarko nor George W drink alcohol, I’m sure the beverage will be iced tea or lemonade, as well as Poland Spring water.

If I were fortunate enough to have the Sarkozys for lunch, I would serve a Fresh Maine Lobster Salad, and a fresh Maine Blueberry Short Cake for dessert. Not sure what I would serve as a first course.

Suggestions?

[SunkenCiv]

B-slappin’ leftists and other fascists, just by having lunch. :’) Thanks Cincinna.

[twonie]

No Dr. Pepper? Now you know for sure Bush is a RINO. No Dr. Pepper? You sure?

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

Suggestions?

Pork. It’s the Other white meat.

[Earthdweller]

I hope they have a lovely visit.

I miss my French friends immensely.

[Rudder]

Tadich Grill San Francisco-Style Cioppino

Here is The City’s most famous dish, invented by the North Beach Italian fishermen’s wives. When they sold their haul on the wharf, of course they took home all the extras. Mama had her rich pot of tomato sauce cooking low on the stove and in went the day’s catch. Voila! A classic [and the first part of cioppino is pronounced as CHA...] Tadich Grill is one of our oldest, most cherished restaurants around.

1/2 cup olive oil, divided
1 small onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1/2 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 small leek, white part only, chopped
1 small rib celery, chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh fennel, chopped
1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes with puree
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 cups water
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
1 tsp. fresh basil, minced
1/2 tsp. fresh oregano, minced
1/4 tsp. fresh thyme, minced
4 bay leaves
1 dash cayenne pepper
1 tsp. garlic, finely chopped
1 lb. white fish, cut into 1/2 x 2-inch strips
8 large shrimp, shelled and deveined
8 large scallops
3/4 cup Sauvignon Blanc Wine
8 small clams in shell, scrubbed
4 oz. cooked shrimp meat
6 oz. cooked crab meat
Italian parsley, chopped

Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in Dutch oven or large heavy pan over medium heat. Add onions and sauté 1 minute without browning. Add carrot, green pepper, leek, celery and fennel and sauté 5 minutes.

Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, water, salt, pepper, basil, oregano, thyme, bay leaves and cayenne pepper. Partially cover and simmer over low heat 2 hours, stirring occasionally. (Sauce can be covered and kept warm over low heat for several hours longer. Stir occasionally.) Remove bay leaves.

Heat remaining 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add garlic and cook 5 seconds. Immediately add fish, shrimp and scallops. Sauté until just cook through, 2-4 minutes. Add seafood to sauce and stir gently.

Pour wine into skillet and cook 30 seconds over medium heat, stirring up any loose bits. Add clams to skillet. Cover and cook until clams open, 2-6 minutes. Transfer clams as they open to sauce. Discard any that do not open. Gently stir shrimp and crab meat into sauce. Cover and cook cioppino until all seafood is hot, 2-3 minutes longer.

Ladle cioppino into large casserole or soup tureen or directly into shallow soup plates. Garnish with chopped Italian Parsley.

Yield: 4 Servings
Source: Tadich Grill, San Francisco CA

[trillabodilla]

Ah, Kennebunkport. Wish I were there.

(...she said from the 97 degree heat of south Louisiana)

[padre35]

The sale of France’s holding’s in America was a good example of US/France collaboration, Napolean got cash, we got from MN down to New Orleans...

New Orleans?

Hey wait a minute...!

Glad to see that the Sarkozy’s are going to get a break from the media presence that has dogged their vacation.

[WesternCulture]

Thanks for posting!

Both the original, Ligurian Cioppino and the American recipe have much in common with the likewise famous Tuscan seafood stew/seafood soup Cacciucco.

Caciucco recipe;

http://www.italyum.com/italian-recipes/seafood-recipes/caciucco-fish-stew.html

The cuisine of Liguria and Tuscany (especially the western part) share a lot of common traits. Hardly surprising as they are neighboring regions.

Furthermore, these Italian soups as well as the American version are rather reminiscent of the even more famed French dish Bouillabaisse. However, there’s no saffron and orange peel in the soups of Italian origin and while tomatoes always are found in these, this is not the case with the French Bouillabaisse.

The US sure has a lot of great culinary traditions. One fascinating aspect of your cuisine is that the expression of ‘The great melting pot’ not only is a symbolic way of describing the blend of different ethnic groups as such on US soil, but also, LITERALLY speaking, a correct way of characterizing what’s been going on in many US kitchens for years - although several original culinary traditions that immigrants brought with them have survived, they have also mixed and resulted in unique American dishes.

Even though Europeans seem to cherish their local culinary traditions to a higher degree than US citizens in general do, I’m well aware the US really has a lot to offer people who are interested in good food and unique culinary traditions.

I hope Sarkozy and his wife share this impression of mine.

Greetings from Europe!

[bert]

Ummm! lobster, clams, boiled corn......

Wish I was could go.

[bert]

However, the French blockade at Yorktown precipitated the Cornwallis surrender.

The founding fathers were soulmates with the French Enlightenment.