July 11--Fifty-five young cooks were given red carpet treatment at the White House on Friday at the fourth annual Kids' State Dinner hosted by first lady Michelle Obama.
As is his custom, President Barack Obama crashed the party with a "surprise" visit.
The boys and girls invited to the event had won local competitions to create a recipe for a healthy lunch. Every state and territory was represented, and two guests were from the Chicago area:
Shreya Patel, 9, of Schaumburg, came up with a spicy quinoa burger to clinch her spot at a festive, flower-bedecked table in the East Room.
Abigail Horne, 8, from Hammond, Ind., won with a turkey burger resting atop a wheatless bun. Jicama-and-apple slaw was her side dish.
President Barack Obama declared allegiance to an avocado dip called "Barack-amole," the handiwork of a 9-year-old Californian.
The contest was open to children ages 8 to 12, and nearly 1,000 recipes were submitted, according to the first lady's office.
Michelle Obama urged the young winners to become ambassadors for healthy eating in their schools and communities.
President Barack Obama followed up with some proposed talking points for future conversations with friends, suggesting the winners say: "You're having chips? I'm sorry. I'm having Barack-amole."
With the U.S. Marine Band Jazz Ensemble performing in the Grand Foyer, tables in the East Room were covered with checkered cloths and alive with fresh flowers and topiaries assembled with radishes, cherry tomatoes and Brussels sprouts.
The menu featured Mediterranean rockin' roasted vegetables, vegetable confetti spring rolls and a California rainbow taco --with that famous Barack-amole married with "Mic-kale Obama Slaw."
Aloha sorbet (from Hawaii) and Mary's Garden Smoothie (from Iowa) were the finishing touches.
The Broadway cast of the Disney musical "Aladdin" performed after dessert and truly stole the show. Colorfully garbed singer-dancers rocked the room with hits such as "A Whole New World."
Both Chicago-area girls were on their first-ever trip to Washington.
Shreya is a first-generation Indian-American who started cooking at age 3 with her grandmother. Her quinoa burger was enhanced with garam masala, cumin, ginger and grated serrano chilis.
Shreya will soon enter fifth grade at Fairview Elementary School in Hoffman Estates. When she grows up, she might be a pharmacist -- like her dad. Priti Patel, her mother, chaperoned her Friday.
Abigail, an aspiring chef, is a home-schooled fourth-grader whose burger bun was made with plantains, tapioca flour, cilantro and other ingredients because her brother has a sensitivity to wheat. "Little Man Lunch," she dubbed her recipe.
Abigail said she was excited to be at the White House with her mother, Tanisha. Among the high points were posing with the first lady for a photo and meeting the president.
The Kids' State Dinner is part of Michelle Obama's move to combat childhood obesity. Her "Let's Move" initiative is 5-plus years old. After lunch, the winners got a tour of the first lady's White House Kitchen Garden -- to walk off the calories.
kskiba@tribpub.com
