Where in the world; Update: Vid link added
Update: Video here.
***
I’ll be on The Big Story at around 5:15pm Eastern to yak about politics. In addition to all the latest campaign stuff, we are scheduled to talk about Nancy Pelosi’s congressional cafeteria makeover, which went into effect this week. Via Fox News:
“I like the food we had before,” House Minority Leader John Boehner said Wednesday morning. “I like real food, food we can pronounce the name of.”
We’ve gone from Freedom Fries to Commie couscous! Feel free to offer your own menu suggestions.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi may have left her progressive instincts at the barn door when she drove a starch-, sugar- and fat-bloated bill that all but left out organic farmers through the House last summer, but when it comes to food for Congress, it’s out with high-fructose corn syrup and in with uncaged hens and hormone-free milk.
Under Pelosi’s signature “Green the Capitol” initiative, the House cafeterias will get a full-blown makeover Monday to the very latest in organic and locally grown cuisine under a new contract with Restaurant Associates, caterer to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
The vast House food service operation that feeds the belly of the beast – more than 2.5 million meals a year for members, staff, tourists, lobbyists, lawyers, journalists and other highly regarded species that inhabit the Capitol – is switching to locally grown, organic, seasonal and generally healthy food. It will be served in compostable sugar cane and corn starch containers instead of petroleum-based plastics. Even the knives and forks will be biodegradable.
The Senate, the last place in America to abandon elevator operators and smoking in the hallways, is sticking to its fried okra and Styrofoam…
…OLD MENU
– Salad bars with canned and conventional vegetables, iceberg lettuce and processed ranch dressing
– Conventional beef hamburgers with processed cheese, often served cold
– A special fried food bar
– Soggy vegetables drowning in butter
– Barbecue with corn and coleslaw
– Custards, pies and cakes with fake whipped cream toppings
– French fries (known under Republican rule as “freedom fries”)
– Plastic and Styrofoam containers
NEW MENU– Composed salad tossed to order with choice of seasonal vegetables and proteins with house-made vinaigrette over a warm grilled Focaccia bread
– Roasted chicken with fire-roasted tomatoes and goat cheese
– Cedar-plank wild salmon with apple cilantro relish
– Seared barramundi (fish), white beans and tomatoes with thyme
– Smoked salmon, roasted beets and arugula
– Steamed broccoli, Brussels sprouts, sage roasted butternut squash, herb couscous
– Samplings from Indian, Chinese, Greek, Moroccan and Mexican cuisines
– Locally made Gifford’s Ice Cream from a 70-year-old Washington institution
OTHER ITEMS– Fair Trade coffee
– Sustainable seafood
– Local and organic food choices
– Zero trans-fat cooking
– Cage-free shell eggs
– Compostable disposables
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Mmmmmmmm…. beer!
Mmmmmmm…… cloned beef!
Mmmmmmmmm…….. nanny state!
Mmmmmmmm……… Trans fat
Mmmmmmmmm…… pork!
Mmmmmmm……… spineless republican party!
Mmmmmmmm……. gun free school cafeteria!
Ok. Got it.
I interned on the Hill back when the GOP was in charge and they used “boardwalk fries” instead of “freedom fries.”
I love a good burger and I loved the Longworth Cafeteria Taco Bar, but the second menu sounds pretty delicious for cafeteria fare. Boehner should be counting his blessings.
Mmmmmmmmmm……. Hsu fly pie!
Wait a minute….. no pork?
sounds expensive.
Only if you’re a visitor.
Nothing beats a horse Hsu sandwich. All that meat and fries smothered in think cheese sauce. Damn, now I’m hungry and I just ate lunch.
How about putting all these fatted swine on low spending, reduced government constitutional diet?
Should have added “or a taxpayer.” Sorry
I am just interested in ANY food out there we could put on the menu that would NOT offend someone somewhere?
How cynical would I have to be to express suspicion that Starkist Seafood (with its headquarters in Nancy Pelosi’s district) is the sole (no pun intended) source of processed barramundi?
Pelosi is such a twit. Well, it will be interesting to see if organizing this elitist menu will be listed as her greatest accomplishment as Speaker.
Texas, that pun was great. Don’t brush it off as unintended. Own it.
Yeah, I’m with Rusty — that second menu sounds somewhat tasty.
It just sounds a bit too expensive for a cafeteria. Are our reps supposed to be living the high life?
Where’s the Mao Mayo?
Now I recognize the menu. It’s the Gitmo Jihadi Diet.
How about having “free-range” chickens run around the US Capitol building? Oh wait, we do already. They are called Democrats!
Congress expressing solidarity with the Gitmo prisoners.
Good point Texastiger. It’s sad that we actually have to question something like that.
The food does sound good, but expensive. I guess they should be telling us all “thanks”.
If I had the choice I’d take the new menu…. but, being on the west coast we BBQ everthing so a cafeteria is not part of any progarm I wish to be in.
Menu they deserve for past year:
Squab.
Can anyone confirm the rumor that cold fish was removed from the menu because Sen. Clinton feared Sen. Obama might accuse her of cannibalism?
How about some SURGE CROW.
Pork on the menu is a must! Baked Taxpayer in welfare sauce (pork in a floured gravy) Got to have tuna too. Tuna sandwich without mayo (Pelosi’s Delight). Reid’s Choice could be a haggis (bunch of crap).
Hmmmm…The Tax’n'Tuna buffet?
Well thank goodness I caught this in time to actually see you on the Tee Vee instead of a clip of it. I usually miss it. As always whenever I can, I’ll be watching. . . good luck (er break a leg or whatever hollywood tee vee types do for positive motivation).
Can the staff reserve the balance of their time for the “three second rule?”
Flip-flopjacks?
No-beef Bipartisandwiches w/Mao-nnaise?
Big-government salad (for you Seinfeld fans)?
Traitor taters?
Cut-and-runny eggs?
And, without a doubt, lots and lots of milquetoast.
You whine about that menu but the idea of “Freedom” fries is OK……..it’s always something. Whiner
this is what happens when you put liberal women in charge folks.
considering that pelosi was supposed to ‘change’ washington. and, you know, she did have a mandate. so, if this is as close to a mandated change that she can get consider ourselves lucky. all she could change was the cafeteria food, now if that isn’t stereotypical..
but good question how much more is this new menu going to cost the taxpayer?
Hmmm… hamburgers or barramundi.
I think the former is good enough for our money-spenders in chief. If they want fancy crap, they should support local businesses that offer those items. It’s all public money anyway, might as well give it back to people who invest it.
Um, scooter, who exactly are you accusing of whining, our hostess or us commenters?
Just wondering.
To each his own, but they couldn’t pay me enough to eat ANYTHING on the Pelosi diet(okay not true, the ice cream sounds pretty good but that’s it). I have a pretty simple rule regarding food. I don’t eat anything if I can’t pronounce it, or don’t recognize it.
Of course, the best question is why does it have to be either/or? Why can’t they have some of both? Wait a minute, there I go trying to inject common sense into politics again. I know better.
Wish I could be there to see someone down a mug of Maryland-grown coffee.
Vice-A-Roni
Has anyone done a before/after cost comparison?
What a PC menu!
Cup cakes cannot be on the menu.
Imagine: “I’ll have a cup cake.”
NYT headline the next day:
SENATOR SOLICITS INTERN
The San Francisco Treat
What, no brie and crackers to go with the liberal whine?
Only cruelty-free cupcakes are allowed.
Nanny Nan is so far out in orbit I would have thought they would be serving Borg-burgers and Romulan ale…
Oops! Maybe I should put that together.
Vice-A-Roni
The San Francisco Treat
“Borg-burgers” – shouldn’t that be “Borgers”?
Romulan ale is illegal and would offend the Federation.
Actually jsr I heard brie was on the menu. They mentioned it on Fox News this morning.
Errah what about my deep fried buttah on a stick, Errah??!!
And how would you like your cat prepared?
Oh, no. See post #43 and substitute for cup cake!
ROTFLMAO texastiger!
Since Pelosi apparently can’t do anything constructive to help the country and certainly appears to be incapable to bring ethics and integrity to Congress, maybe the cafeteria is just where she belongs. Too bad she doesn’t stay there.
#53….I prepare my four kitties every day by providing love, food and water.
Teddy!!! Welcome back!
Got one for you. This MUST be on the menu!
Drink
Errah, all they have now are free range tofu wings with a lite blue govment cheese product! Yuk!!! Errah
Errah, Yeeeess!
Sweet & Sour PORK
Roasted pork butt is more like it.
They’d need some serious cajones to eat any fish that comes out of the Potomac.
OMSB, Errah I think I went green at 10:00 this morning, that is if my olive counts! Errah
How about monkey brains?
Since there are no human brains on the premises.
They definetly need brain food that’s for sure.
Surrender Eggs: Egg whites served on pita bread.
Question:
If our taxes pay for all of this, do we get to eat for free?
.oO what made me ask that stoopid question
Errah, you can scoup them off the Ancostia with a snow shovel even easier! Errah.
Eggs Benedict
I crack up when marketers promote PC food.
They failed to note that in lieu of meat tenderizer, all animals will receive sensitivity training before they are consumed.
With yellow yolk streaks?
Errah Neighboring Montgomery County MD already limits trans-fat and smoking. If they keep this up I may go back to the eh taxachusetts and just stay. This kinda stuff leads one to drink, errah.
Why yes! According to Nancy & Harry, if you are under 25 you qualify for federally subsidized school lunches.
That’s a terrible rule! Food can be an adventure. Worst case scenario (assuming you have no allergies) is you don’t like something. best case is you find a food that makes you absolutely joyful.
I just had cured pig jowl for the first time. Yummy.
On January 16th, 2008 at 5:03 pm,
Cool. Now which of my three licenses have that mock age thingy on it?
Errah, the Larry Craig Baloney Almondeen is sinful! Errah
My contribution to the Dhemmhi menu…
Huffing Ton Burger, no meat, all hot air; Mooove-On, laxative milk product; Daily Kus-turd, yellow pudding that tastes like ass; Clinton Chick-licks, Bill’s favorite nugget; Pull-oh-see, wacky toffee, filled with nuts, but has no substance; Medea Bend-overs, ugly little pink carp-flavored breath mints…
OMSB Errah that would be your Maria Sanchez NY State Drivers License errah.
Pulled “pork-barrel” sandwiches
Nancy Pelosi must be making all kinds of new friends at the capital caferteria…who “lobbied” her to green the capital? Somebody got Mommy’s ear, now clean your plate everyone!
There are some sick people on this blog.
Thank you GOD!
Yes, on-my-soap-box, once the whites are cooked, and on the pita bread, streak the yolks across. Good idea!!
Errah Willie Jefferson Lasagna is best served cold.
OMSB, Errah what about the Cynthia McKinney Fruit Punch? Errah
Errah I love the Murtha traitor tots!
Great interview, MM. Yes, when Pelosi has failed at “cleaning house”, maybe the only thing left was the cafeteria.
Has San Fran Nan declared that there will be no dessert until you eat your vegetables? Its for your own good, you know.
KP needs to watch out with that media driven/not racist defense meme. Somebody is going to respond that she is just another white liberal telling black folks what to think and that she is in no position to determine what is and is not racist. Under liberal rules, she will have to agree that that is the case.
These Clinton apologists are amazing. The Clinton camp(except for Bubba)calculates every word and every move that goes out. For Kersten(spelling) to try to defend them is laughable.
Michelle,
I haven’t had a chance to see you on TV in many moons, and your TV presence continues to be superb. With some of the lame weekend shows Fox has on, it’s a shame they don’t have you in their lineup (“Hot Air with Michelle Malkin”?) And naturally you beat Powers; the evidence was in the panic mode she adopted at the end; a sure fire sign that a liberal is afraid that truth is being communicated understandibly to the masses.
As far as Pelsoi and the cafeteria goes, we need to remember that that old ham is full of baloney. There’s no one cheesier, and she’s just trying to play catch-up, milking her status for all it’s worth. But she always did know where her bread was buttered. After all, it’s really her husband who brings home the bacon. From now on she shouldn’t be known as the Speaker, but as the Burger Meister.
(and no, from what I’ve heard she does not have nice buns)
Hey, it’s my rule and it works for me. Actually, I have a lot of them, but most are even crazier than that one(It’s not a joke either). Besides, I already have a food that makes me plenty joyful: t-bone, medium well, with grilled onions and peppers on the side. Eat what makes you happy, I’m not interested in pretentious food.
Mahi Mahi I recognize (it’s fish), I can get it at Sam’s Club, or even at Walmart.
I usually get Tilapia, though.
Gourmet food indeed. /sarc
Mahi Mahi might be caught by local fishermen, but it’s a sea fish, not “grown locally”.
I wonder if this will be the straw that gets Pelosi bounced from her leadership position, though.
Pulled pork sandwich: All the pork you can pull!
Speaker of the House Sandwich: Bologna and nothing but bologna!
Democrat Delight Soup: San Francisco clam (spineless cold-blooded critter) chowder.
RINO Reginetta: Wet flexible reginetta pasta in a pink calamari (spineless cold-blooded critter deep fried) sauce.
Primary Popcorn: Made with a full pound of Iowa corn. You don’t have to eat it all, but you do have to buy it all.
I saw on Fox that there’s also a raspberry TART on the menu.
Stop me if I’m wrong, but aren’t local vegetables hard to come by in winter? To say nothing of the local salmon and barramundi – even the cedar plank..
But these are politicians, things mean only what they want them to mean.
I was wondering about the “locally grown” stuff myself. Since WHEN is the DC area an agricultural mecca? Here in CA, we’re not far from the central valley where we have a huge industry…but DC?
I just want to know if our troops are going to eat like this in the chow halls. I remember back in the old days at the end of the month when the budget was running low we had mystry meals at the chow hall. I am still wondering what some of that stuff was on my tray. I love seeing my hard earned tax dollars going to a good cause in the Capital chow hall!
I saw this story on FOX this afternoon. The first thing that came to my mind, but was not brought up in the story was this…..Replacing standard like meatloaf with items like Salmon, brei, etc. HAS to be much more expensive than the old meat & potatos items. So how much more? Will the average meal price go up accordingly, or will we proles just susidize it like we do every other bit of nonsense?
“locally grown” in Mexico