When a dignitary from one country entertains a fellow dignitary from another country at his residence, several age-old customs are usually recognized. First, the mood and conversation is expected to be polite but businesslike. Second, the dress is expected to be neat but not overly formal. And third, the statesman/woman doing the entertaining is expected to at least make a token effort to promote his or her national cuisine.
We’re not sure what the conversation or dress code was like at the dinner party thrown last night by Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány for visiting Romanian PM Calin Popescu Tariceanu. But from what we can tell, Gyurcsány seems to have forgotten totally about aforementioned custom #3. According to a brief about the event on hvg.hu, the two PMs arrived at the Gyurcsivilla in Buda’s exclusive Rózsadomb neighborhood together, and were greeted by Gyurcsány’s wife Klára Dobrev and their two sons. So far, so good. But here’s what the brief had to say about the menu:
László Boglár, a kormányfő elmondta: a menüben pácolt hering óriás olajbogyóval és borjúérmék pezsgőeszenciában szerepelt. Az ételek sorában felszolgáltak még bazsalikomos mogyoróburgonyát spárgával, vadsonkával. A desszert rumos dióval töltött körte volt likőrben sütve. A vacsora résztvevői magyar borokkal öblíthették le az ételeket.
Which translates as:
Boglár László, the government spokesman said: the menu included pickled herring with giant olives and veal medals with champagne essence, basil peanut potatoes with asparagus and wild ham, and for dessert, pears filled with rum and walnuts fried in liquor.
While peanuty potatoes (above) might squeak through as Hungarian, we’d say the addition of basil would pretty much voids that. Meanwhile, the rest of the menu it is about as Hungarian as, well, pickled herring with giant olives. So while we won’t get into the whole question of whether or not Gyurcsány is a traitor to the nation, whoever is in his kitchen should probably have their security clearances immediately revoked. The sommelier, however, seems to be on our side: according to the reports we’ve seen, the wines were all Hungarian.
