I’ve had my fill of your cuisine, says U.S. envoy
MATTHEW BARZUN, the new american ambassador to the Court of St James’s, has been eulogising about the ‘special relationship’ between the U.S. and the UK. But is that alliance under threat?
Only last week, the British embassy in washington ruffled american feathers when it tweeted a picture of a cake shaped like the white house surrounded by sparklers and captioned: ‘Commemorating the 200th anniversary of burning the white house. Only sparklers this time!’
Now 43- year- old Barzun, who arrived as ambassador last November, has complained about traditional British cuisine in next month’s tatler magazine.
In reply to a question about his ideal dinner party, the harvard graduate replies a tad undiplomatically: ‘I’ll tell you what I would not serve — lamb and potatoes. I must have had lamb and potatoes 180 times since I have been here. there are limits and I have reached them.’
Barzun, a Kentucky- based businessman, was made ambassador to Sweden in 2009 in recognition of his fundraising work on the 2008 Obama presidential campaign.
he is renowned for his unstuffy style and has hosted a series of concerts featuring american and British acts at his London residence, winfield house, in Regent’s Park.
Guests are treated to fried catfish, corn dog canapes and pyramids of Ferrero Rocher topped with cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer.
the chocolate was immortalised in the cult TV advert with the catchphrase: ‘ You’re spoiling us, ambassador.’
and Barzun has even cooked american pancakes for the Belgian ambassador after losing a bet on the world Cup.
But his offhand remarks will not endear him to critics of the U.S. embassy, which has accrued £9 million in unpaid congestion zone charges.
Commenting on Barzun’s culinary snub, chef Rowley Leigh, proprietor chef of Le Cafe anglais, tells me: ‘the thing is the americans don’t really get lamb. they’d rather have beef or beef or possibly beef.
‘when you have lamb the english way, with mint or redcurrant jelly, nothing can be more delicious.’
he adds: ‘Perhaps he’s not a very sophisticated character, although one doesn’t want to be rude to the american ambassador.’
During his brief tenure, Barzun has dined at Chequers and Buckingham Palace, where he and his wife, Brooke, heir to the Jack Daniels distilling empire, attended a £500,000 banquet to celebrate Prince Charles’s 65th birthday last November.
No doubt, Barzun will feel a little sheepish when he is next invited round by her Majesty, who is said to be partial to roast lamb for Sunday lunch.