白宫“国宴”大起底

当地时间9月25日晚，奥巴马夫妇将在白宫设国宴款待习近平夫妇。习近平上任以来第一次走进奥巴马的家，白宫会用什么来招待远方到来的贵客?

Table settings are shown during a preview in the State Dining Room of White House in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2015, for the state dinner of the visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping. It will be Colorado lamb on the menu and Grammy-winning R&B singer Ne-Yo as the entertainment, when President Barack Obama welcomes Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House for a state dinner on Friday. [Photo / Aagencies]

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White House chefs have created "original dishes that highlight American cuisine with nuances of Chinese flavors" for the state dinner honoring visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping, the White House said Thursday.

白宫方面24日表示，白宫厨师做了几道融入中国特色、具有美国本土风味的国宴菜肴，款待到访的中国国家主席习近平。

据美国国家安全委员会亚洲事务高级主管丹尼尔·克里滕布林克介绍，国宴是习近平主席对美国事访问(state visit)的重要环节(key part)。奥巴马去年访华时受到习近平主席的热情接待(tremendous hospitality)，他希望借此次国宴表达回馈之情，并期待在白天会晤后与习主席进行更深入的交流(continue the important discussions that take place earlier in the day)。

【吃什么?】

根据白宫公布的菜单，为习主席举行的国宴菜单上有一道汤(a soup)、两道主菜(two main courses)和一道甜点(a dessert)，各配一种酒(wine)。

At Friday's state dinner, guests will have a taste of, among other dishes, butter poached Maine lobster and grilled Colorado lamb, as well as a dessert display that features a Chinese-style chocolate pavilion and bridge.

在25日的国宴上，客人将品尝到黄油焗缅因龙虾、烤科罗拉多羊里脊和一道饰有巧克力做成的中式凉亭和小乔的甜点。

Traditional Chinese Shaoxing yellow rice wine will also be served as guests enjoy their starter - wild mushroom soup with black truffle, according to the official menu provided by the White House.

白宫官方提供的菜单显示，为客人提供的开胃菜是野蘑菇黑松露汤，佐以中国传统的绍兴黄酒。

The main course, a grilled cannon of Colorado lamb garnished with garlic fried milk, is shown during a preview in the State Dining Room of White House in Washington, Thursday, Sept 24, 2015, for the state dinner of the visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping. [Photo/IC]

白宫方面说，这一菜单由白宫主厨(White House Executive Chef)克里丝·科默福德和首席糕点师(White House Executive Pastry Chef )苏珊·莫里森根据中美饮食传统(Chinese and American culinary traditions)设计，还从纽约请来华裔名厨(Chinese-American chef)罗慕娟，担任这次国宴的客座厨师。他们创作的灵感(inspired by)来自秋收(the harvest of the late summer)，使用的蔬菜食材大都为本地种植，一部分还直接来自白宫菜园(the White House garden)。

The dessert called "a stroll through the garden" composed of handmade chocolate pavilion and bridge, pulled sugar roses, and white lotus flowers, that symbolize good fortune, is shown during a preview in the State Dining Room of White House in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2015, for the state dinner of the visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping. It will be Colorado lamb on the menu and Grammy-winning R&B singer Ne-Yo as the entertainment, when President Barack Obama welcomes Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House for a state dinner on Friday. [Photo/Agencies]

据莫里森介绍，甜点“花园漫步(a stroll through the garden)拼盘中有用巧克力制作的中式亭(Chinese-style chocolate pavilion)和小桥(bridge)，还有白莲花(white lotus flowers)形状的小甜点，这充分展现了国宴中的中国元素(Chinese elements)。

【听什么?】

国宴这么高大上的场合，当然不能没有音乐助兴。

根据白宫的消息，演奏佐餐音乐的是来自底特律的“斯芬克斯(Sphinx Organization String Quarte)弦乐四重奏。甜点上完后，国宴还有文艺表演环节，献艺的将是R&B歌手、三项格莱美奖得主尼欧(Grammy award-winning singer Ne-Yo)。

A table setting is shown during a preview in the State Dining Room of White House in Washington, Thursday, Sept 24, 2015, for the state dinner of the visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping. [Photo/IC]

【看什么?】

据悉，为了这次国宴，白宫东厅(East Room of the White House)做了专门的布置和准备。据介绍，东厅的布置参考了东西方的审美情趣(Chinese and Western aesthetics)，表达了对中美建筑和自然(Chinese and American architecture and landscapes)的敬意(deep respect)。

白宫为这次国宴挑选的徽记(emblem)是“玫瑰。两朵采用书法形式表现的玫瑰(calligraphic representation of the rose)，印在接近5米长的丝绸卷轴(scrolls)上，表现了心与心的沟通。

The menu features wild mushroom soup paired with Shaoxing rice wine, lobster, and grilled cannon of Colorado lamb served with cubes of tempura-fried panna cotta. [Photo/Weibo.com]

本次国宴菜单一览：

Wild Mushroom Soup with Black Truffle

野蘑菇黑松露汤

Shaoxing wine

佐以绍兴酒

Butter Poached Maine Lobster with Spinach, Shiitake and Leek Rice Noodle Rolls

黄油焗缅因龙虾配鲜菇韭菜春卷

Penner-Ash Viognier "Oregon" 2014

佐以俄勒冈州彭娜-阿什酒庄2014年的维欧尼干白

Grilled Cannon of Colorado Lamb with Garlic Fried Milk and Baby Broccoli

烤科罗拉多羊里脊配蒜蓉脆皮鲜奶和花椰菜苗

Pride Mountain Merlot "Vintner Select" 2012

佐以普莱德山酒庄2012年梅洛干红

Poppyseed Bread and Butter Pudding with Meyer Lemon Curd Lychee Sorber

罂粟籽面包和黄油布丁配中国柠檬凝乳和荔枝沙冰

Schramsherg Cremant Demi-Sec 2011

佐以世酿伯格2011年半干型起泡酒