Posted on 07/06/2005 4:10:43 AM PDT by Cornpone
BERLIN - A food fight between world leaders is underway as they prepare to travel to Scotland for the latest meeting of the Group of Eight (G8) industrial nations.
While the British have been forced to try to digest some rather critical remarks about their cooking style attributed to French President Jacques Chirac, German Chancellor Schroeder's remarks about salmon might not win him any friends among the Scottish hosts of this week's G8 meeting.
Despite the Scots being proud of their vast streams of salmon, Schroeder told a news conference in Berlin Tuesday that he was not a great fan of the freshwater fish.
Asked whether he was looking forward to eating at this week's G8 meeting in Gleneagles, the leader of the world's third biggest economy admitted: "I am not a friend of salmon and I hope I get a decent steak."
Schroeder's quip came just a matter of days after some less-than- charitable comments attributed to French President Jacques Chirac about Britain's cuisine.
"We can't trust people who have such bad food," Chirac was quoted as saying by the French newspaper Liberation Monday during a conversation with Schroeder and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the weekend.
Chirac, who along with Schroeder and British Prime Minister Tony Blair is scheduled to attend the G8, reportedly went on to say that only Finland had worse food in Europe, and that mad cow disease was Britain's sole contribution to European agriculture.
While the rich west offering Africa a helping hand and climate change are supposed to be key items on the G8 agenda, tensions might really emerge on another issue: which leader can lay claim to the best national dish.
I hope Schroder and Chirac like haggis ;-)
Don't Germans eat headcheese? Don't they also eat tripe?
And don't the French eat fish heads? They also serve cooked chicken legs with the feet still attached.
The Dutch will serve a raw egg on a cooked chicken as a breakfast food.
Do we really believe that any one country has absolutely no foods that other people would find unappetizing?
Some people don't like salmon. People who insist on serving salmon should offer alternatives. They should not just assume that 100% of the people at the event are lovers of salmon.
My wife has virtually starved at numerous salmon-only occassions. Any other function, they give you a choice. But when salmon is on the menu, they just assume that you'll either love it or you deserve to die.
It's good to know that with the minor problems facing the EU and their respective countries, Sh*trac and Schroeder have time to worry about the REALLY important things.
France has a cuisine that includes swollen goose livers, amphibian legs, snails, fermented milk and a fungus that grows on tree roots, and yet they have the nerve to complain about what other people eat? I was raised on a Finnish diet, and admit that (raw) salt fish or boiled rutabagas are aquired tastes but at least everything isn't smothered in overspiced sauces to cover the taste.
Actually, I'd rather have Germany, France and Russia arguing over the menu for the entire length of the conference than have them implement a single item on their agenda.
Oh my Lord! I didn't know any of that. I thought menudo was odd, but people have assured me that it is pretty good. Raw eggs on top of cooked chicken? Bleeechhh! The last place I lived had snails in the flower beds. Every time I got rid of them, I thought of the French. Even though they cook them in butter and garlic, it's like chewing through rubber bands, or so I've heard.
Actually I'm not a huge fan of salmon, but my bf got me to try lox. Not bad at all. The only gross thing that is indigenous to America, are Rocky Mountain Oysters. At least that's all I can think of at the moment.
ROFL!
:) No snails for me! That would turn me into a vegetarian in an instant, and it would be too sad to give up the occasional steak.
LOL! I agree, pickled herring is not a finer item to have on the menu!
I have a thing about cottage cheese. To me this is the most single disgusting thing this country has to offer in the form of culinary delights.
To me cottage cheese is to the left of Ipecac.
:) It's not happy, is it?
I don't mind eating a vegetarian dinner once in a while, but it's still eggs and cheese. More of a budget decision, than a health decision.
I cannot believe what some folks will eat. I love rib eye steak with horseradish : )
I burned out on non fat cottage cheese when I was pregnant with my youngest. I was on a self imposed high protein, low fat diet. I either salted and peppered the cottage cheese, and topped it with tomatoes and veggies, or used sliced fresh fruit, or canned pineapple.
I still use it as a substitute for ricotta, when cottage cheese is less expensive. Have to watch that budget!
And these are the guys who keep telling _us_ how to be diplomatic?
Although anyone who has seen German or French tourists in other countries should hardly be surprised.
I would just serve MREs to everyone and tell them to sit down shut up.
I have rarely been to an event, except in a private home, where there was not a choice between meat or fish. Some people don't eat meat, others don't like seafood. You must have a lot of vegetarian friends.
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