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Show Page 12 - THE HERALD. Provo. Utah. Friday. October 5. 1984 Foods Making the White House Guest List Good Luck By IRIS KRASNOW THE WASHINGTON (UPI) event in Manhattan is Woody Allen's New Year's Eve bash. In Los Angeles, Neil Diamond s Labor Day barbeque Staff Michael Deaver heavily in the process. lured a spangly crowd. sparkly pals from Hollywood or moguls from big business. Or as comedienne Joan Rivers quipped after one such affair of state: "No scum here." - . Getting That Prized Dining Slot weigh invited by the Carters to the White House were those who took the presidential hopeful During the Reagans' 33 state dinners, these precious favors and his family into their homes while they campaigned have often gone to their But these invitations pale in comparison to the most coveted of them all: a request by the First Host and Hostess of the land to come to the White House for an official state dinner. cross-countr- buff, President Gerald Ford was partial to inviting "a lot of sports figures to state dinners ", remembers Maria Downs, social secretary during his administration. When Jimmy Connors was a guest, his behavior was so sweet that it shattered his reputation as tennis's bad boy. An athletic For example, at last June's event in honor of President and Mrs. J.R. Jayewardene of Sri Lanka, the glitterati included actors Robert Conrad and Fred MacMurray, imper- "I was barraged, inundated with letters and arm-twistin- g sonator Rich Little. Texas magnate Nelson Bunker Hunt offers of presents from people who wanted to come," remembers Mabel "Muffie" Brandon, the Reagans' social secretary for years. Gatil Hodges currently holds the "It was during a state ner in the Rose Garden under a white tent," adds Downs. "There was a gentleman sitting in Connors' seat and the man wouldn't move. Connors realized the man had had a few drinks too many. So he quietly found out where the man was supposed to be sitll just go sit ting and said: over there.' and Dallas Cowboy coach Tom Landry. Other luminaries who have graced the State Dining Room since Reagan took office are Brooke Shields, Olivia de Jimmy Stewart, Burt Reynolds, Carol Burnett, Eva job. "Ultimately that doesn't help," continues Brandon, Hav-illan- 'it's the people who den t ask to be invited that you want to come to the White House. The pushy people very rarely make the guest list." i Gabor, Lillian Gish, Larry Hagman and Rock Hudson. "President Ford saw what happened and wanted to make it up to him. So I called Connors and they had breakfast together and a swim at the White House. The young athelete then asked if he would like to also play a game of tennis, but the president said: 'No way! "' Mrs. Reagan often telephones her invitations to the stars, since many are personal Good luck on getting one of these prized slots for a night four-sta- r dining, entertainment and dancing in tribute to a visiting head of state. friends. of Entertainment selected for Reagan affairs of state has also been big names of the stage and screen. Gretchen Poston, social secretary under the Carters, calls the Reagan playbills "Las Vegas East." They featured the likes of Frank Sinatra, Wayne Newton, In the Carter administration, it helped to be a poet or physicist. Having a Hollywood name opens doors in the current scene. There are those who are must-have- s on The List, which tallies up to around 126 for each dinner. Standard procedure calls for attendance by 14 members of the visiting foreign delegation, 20 members from the State Department and the White House and a handful of journalists and members of Congress. Then there are a few dozen seats left to jockey with. Recommendations are made from other branches of government, but the Reagans have the final say on who makes this cut. The wishes of Deputy Chief of Perhaps the biggest shift in the ritual of the state dinner came when the restrained '50s Julio Iglesias and Mel Torme broke loose into the '60s. the Carters occupied the Pennsylvania Ave. address, there was less emphasis When "During the '50s, it was all very formal," says Chief of Protocol Selwa Roosevelt. She was a reporter for the Washington Star at the time. "The Eisenhowers had everyone at a big table for state dinners. Then Jackie Kennedy came in with this youthful exuberance of the '60s and changed it all." "glitter" and more on the arts, Poston adds, citing a on piano recital by Rudolf Serkin and a poetry reading by Cicely Tyson as exemplary. "And the Carter guest list tended to be more academic, more in the sciences and arts," she recalls. "There was more emphasis on the private, person." "Everything was so stiff and starchy with these big towering flower arrangements and non-offici- al Among din- the common folks many long courses." continues Leticia Baldrige. social secretary for the Kennedys. "Mrs. Kennedy broke up the tables and made round tables for the first time ever in the White House. "The Marine Band was never allowed to play until the Kennedy era," notes Bald-ridg"People weren't served drinks Now the music comes on the minute the guest come into the house and cocktails are offered. Mrs. Kennedy has been copied ever since. She had her hand in everything." e. So does Nancy Reagan, ac- cording to her new. Mrs. Reagan tastes in advance. Sometimes she'll say but ease off 'gee, this is great on the sauce'.'- of the White House over alone in Women aren't these grand suppers. Some g presidents got very involved in making sure things came off without a hitch. "President Nixon things to go." says Lucy chester, social secretary during his era. "Once there were radishes placed on the salads for color. Well, he didn't think that radishes should be on the salads. It was too late (to get Win- "It's the people who don't ask to be invited that you want to come to the White House. The pushy people very rarely make the guest list." Mabel "Muffie"Brandon Former Reagan Social Secretary Special to The Herald occurrence for homemade jams, jellies and preserves to darken. Question: I have tried all kinds of ingenious methods to duplicate the pickle found in many Chinese restaurants. With my attempts, the vegetable has always rotted. It is important that the vegetables retain their crispness but I don't believe they have a lot of salt. Would you please describe the pickling process? Answer: Chinese mixed pickles are usually prepared via a brine fermentation. The vegetables and seasonings are mixed with a light brine, allowed to ferment for 48 hours and then refrigerated. Dur- Question: Years ago, I remember in my country, the Netherlands, homemade yogurt was made with a "yogurt plant" similar in appearance and color to cauliflower flowerettes. After rinsing the "yogurt plant" well in cold water and draining it, it would be put in a glass bowl with scalded and cooled whole milk and kept at room temperature for six to eight hours. A thick, creamy yogurt wouia start 10 ing the fermentation, the salt keeps the vegetables from rotting. If they spoil, they either become very slimy or start to soften and decay. If the vegetables are fermenting properly, some gas is evolved and the brine becomes mildly sour. Keep the fermenting vegetables between 60 and 75 degrees. Otherwise, the soil bacteria will predominate over the lactic bacteria. If the soil bacteria predominate, the vegetables will become soft and putrid. Above all. do not tighten a lid over the fermenting vegetables. Not only do you risk blowing up the jar or plastic container because of the gas pressure, but you select for ue growth of Clostridium botulinum (the cause of t botulism) which prefers treated, canned vegetables.. Here is a general recipe for mixed pickles: cut 3 cups vegetables (for example carrots) into sticks. Dissolve 3 tablespoons salt in 2 cups warm water and add spices according to taste. Szechuan spices are: peppercorns (or use red pepper flakes), cherry peppers and their juice. Korean spices are: minced ginger, garlic, green onion and red chili peppers (or red pepper flakes). After mixing this spicy brine, add the vegetables, stir with a clean chopstick and loosely cover the jar. Leave at room temperature for 48 hours. Then store refrigerated for at least two or three days before eating. The cause is the breakdown of the pigments and is in no way related to spoilage. form and the bowl would then be stored in the refrigerator. After the desired thickness and tartness was reached, the "yogurt plant" was removed, rinsed and used again. After a while, the "yogurt plant" would have grown into large pieces which had to be split and distribute to friends. This yogurt was slightly tarter than that available here. It was served fruit. Do you with sugar and-o- r know where I could find a "yogurt plant"? Answer: describing The yogurt you are actually Kefir, a thick beverage produced by arMinp Kefir grains to whole is "President Reagan is the pol- itics of optimism and White House entertainment reflects it." adds Ambassador Roosevelt. "Nancy Reagan is the best hostess I've seen so far. She's the guiding spirit behind those dinners, with her artistic sense of flowers and color and her warmth." Hairdresser Robin Weir, who coifs the First Lady, remembers seeing his client on "her hands and knees on the floor" poring over a floor plan for the big night. The menu is drawn 'up by veteran White House chef Henry Haller. "She encourages artistic license in the food," remarks Shelia Tate, Mrs. Reagan's press secretary. "But anything that's them removed). The next day, he brought it up. He noticed everything." Minute details like salad fixings are inconsequential when compared to the big stuff. Protocol surrounding a visiting country must be painfully researched months in advance, a task that goes to the State Department. Special dietary restrictions, such as kosher or rules, are communicated to the White House staff. Colors selected for table decor and flowers are crucial issues of diplomacy as well. An color scheme was scrapped for the Chinese state dinner because white in China signifies death. Green is a popular color to use when are still unexpected events that kee,j the evenings from running like clockwork. At one of Johnson's state onetime dinners in early-196screen queen Joan Crawford repeatedly insulted Cathy wife Douglas, the of the late Supreme Court Jus- tice William 0. Douglas. The situation got so tense that three men seated closest to the two women rallied around Mrs. Douglas like bodyguards. This didn't stop Mommy Dearest. When finger bowls were placed before each guest, she dramatically showed Mrs. Douglas how to use hers, implying the young woman's breeding was such that she obviously didn't know how to use one. Then there was the time a bespectacled Amy Carter brought a book to a regal affair of state and proceeded press corps instantly Or when Queen Elizabeth was visiting during the mid '70s and the elevator she occupied with Mrs. Ford stopped on the wrong floor. Instead of landing at the white tie and tails reception in the Queen's honor, it opened to greet Jack d and bareFord, foot, fresh from his shower. half-dresse- "Mrs. Ford apologized profusely, but the Queen just said: Don't worry. I've got sons like that at home too'," says Maria Downs. "The White House has a real magic about it, and people want to remember everything that happens " Kefir originated in the Caucasian mountains of Russia and has not really caught on anywhere else, although it has been the subject of passing fads in Europe. The freeze-drie- d grains are sold in many natural foods stores. OCTOBER CONFERENCE SALE SEPTEMBER 15 27-OCT- OBER Panasonic Tape Recorder Panasonic Model child's cassette 1 tape recorder with h auto stop and RQ-44- A ' - " ' one-touc- recording. Reg. $29.95 Sale $23.99 VISITS F5T WW Sze-chua- n x Must be 18 or over. 1st patrons only We Have Something For Everyone: Heated Swimming Pool, Dry Sauna, Wet Sauna, Aerobic Classes, Basketball, Whirlpools, Water Aerobics, Sun Deck, Ping Pong, Racquetball, Inhalation Room, Billiards, Modern Conditioning Equipment and More! Li NEW LIFE ATHLETIC CLUB 1640 South State Street Orem, Utah Call Today 224-043- 0 commu- nicated the incident to millions of Americans. the acid and the yeast cells produce the alcohol. "Hunt to find the real you non-hea- Answer: Yes, they are still ? is not an unc""10" goo Anguish and fret and plot as the White House may, there DELICIOUS milk. The fermentation produced by these grains makes the milk sour, slightly alcoholic (1.0 percent) and a little fizzy if kept tightly closed. Kefir grains are gelatinous, irregular granules composed of symbiotic colonies of bacteria and yeast cells. The bacteria produce g Question: I have two jars of last year's poach and strawberry preserves. They have turned very dark. I haven't opened them yet. Are they still good? Why have they turned dark? Prophet Mohammed. to flip through it. The bemused Chinese Pickling Via Brine Fermentation By TOM NEUHAUS would cer- tainly say how he wanted entertaining Moslem countries since it's the color of the Triple on Cassette Includes new 1981 scripture additions. Lifetime replacement guarantee. Attache' case included. Reg. $84.95 Sale $59.99 Deseret Book AVAILABLE AT ALL DESERET BOOK LOCATIONS |
