by Colleen Curtis

Guests at March 14th's State Dinner honoring David Cameron, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and his wife Samantha, will enjoy a meal that represents the best of American hospitality and includes playful references to classic British traditions. First Lady Michelle Obama and White House Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford have put together a menu that features produce harvested yesterday from the White House's Kitchen Garden, including baby lettuces, spring onions and  fresh herbs. The dinner will be served in a tent on the White House's South Lawn. [Ed's Note: For a departure 'over the pond', see a virtual tour of Number 10 Downing Street, the PM's residence]

The first course, Crisped Halibut with Potato Crust, will be served on a bed of braised baby kale fresh from the White House garden. The salad features spring garden lettuces with shallot dressing and includes a variety of greens, which are also from the Kitchen Garden.

Comerford says the main course, Bison Wellington, is a "great marriage of the two countries"  and features a uniquely American protein prepared in a quintessentially British style. For dessert, White House pastry chef William Yosses and his team have prepared a lemon sponge pudding in the British style, which they are serving with Newtown Pippin Apples, a variety that was grown by some of our founding fathers, and was even sent as a gift to Queen Victoria in 1838. You can go behind the scenes with the White House's kitchen team (and a group of chefs from our military branches who were on hand to help with the preparations) in this video:

Go 'Behind the Scenes' and inside the White House kitchen hours before the United Kingdom State Dinner with White House Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford, White House Pastry Chef Bill Yosses, and White House Assistant Pastry Chef Susan Morrison.

First Lady Michelle Obama Previews the UK State Dinner

First Lady Michelle Obama speaks to the press, students and other young people before a sneak peek of preparations for the UK state dinner, including what the inside of the tent will look like and details about the evening’s menu.

Read the Transcript

And view the menu:

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