Dang. Shonali got invited to the White House Holiday Party with her sister, Ruchi. Â A few months back, I dreamt about winning one of those fundraiser dinner parties with Obama and George Clooney. I wondered if I could food blog it if I won. Will they let me bring my camera? Well, I didn’t win, but instead I got spammed like five emails a day from the re-election campaign. Shit. Joke’s on me.
Shonali went and reported on it! Looks like a lot of fun. Oh dang, she panned the lamb!
“A Christmas office party at the White House:
I accompanied my sister to her office holiday party this year and lucky for me she is the Deputy Cabinet Secretary and Special Assistant to the President of the United States.
I was excited to find out that we would be allowed to take pics in the White House during the party. Jason and I had talked days earlier about how cool it would be to food blog an event like the White House Christmas Party. I was certain it was an impossibility. Although I don’t have the skills of a Jason Lam when it comes to food pics, I did take a few showing the spread.
The holiday decorations in the White House are stunning this time of year. Every room had a beautifully decorated Christmas tree. Amazing portrait paintings of all the Presidents and First Ladies are hanging throughout the East Wing.
The champagne was flowing and although I can eat a lot, I was unable to try everything they had on the dining tables. My sister and I started w dessert where we each put different items on our plates. I had the coconut cream lemon cake, peach crumble, and chocolate fluffy cake. I loved it all. Yes, I did eat all that. My sister made sure she got a couple Bo Obama Christmas cookies for my nieces. Apparently they are collector’s items.
As for the savory foods, there was a long table… there were figs, cheese, roast beef, lamb chops, rolls, baked cauliflower/cheese pasta, green beans, fingerling potatoes, fennel salad, potato latkes, shrimp, oysters, and crab claws. I piled my plate super high w every intention of trying everything but after my dessert binge it was an impossibility. Standouts for me were the crispy potato latke and tender roast beef and the lamb was meh.
Honestly the entire experience was something I will never forget. I was lucky enough to shake the First Lady and President’s hands at the end of the evening with no expectation of such a thing. It was quite a fabulous event! Thank you (my sister) Ruchi!” —Shonali
Thanks, Shonali! Great job. I’m sure I would’ve been wasted in the White House.
