Newsletter - June 2024
Exclusive Interview with the Ambassador of Norway
This Month on the American Table:
Our headline story for this month’s newsletter is our exclusive interview from last Thursday with Ambassador Anniken Krutnes of Norway. She has just a few weeks left of her assignment here in Washington, making this a very special and bittersweet conversation with a good friend.
We discuss the special friendship of President Roosevelt and Crown Princess Martha during WWII. We also touch on food, diplomacy, and the mission of the embassy and staff here in Washington. It's an engaging and thoughtful discussion that I’m sure you will enjoy.
You can listen to the interview in audio form via The American Table Podcast, available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, or read the transcript as an article available here.
Also, if you are a paid subscriber, you can enjoy our bonus podcast with Ambassador Krutnes where she participates in a lighting round of fun questions ranging from “What is your favorite music artist” to “burger or pizza.”
Gaza
Throughout the month, I’ve posted several updates covering the developments related to the food crisis in Gaza. You can check them out here.
Coming Next Week…
Stay tuned for our next podcast episode coming next Thursday (June 27th)!
In this episode, I sit down with my dear friend, and social media rockstar Jamie Peva in Georgetown’s historic Martins Tavern for lunch and a discussion about the history of food and politics in Georgetown.
Other Posts and Articles From This Month:
My Current Media Diet:
Books I’m Reading
Black, White, and Grey- Mashima Bailey & John O Morisano- As a Southerner and a boy from Georgia, I was intrigued by this unique story about an award-winning black chef, Mashima Bailey, and her business partner John O. Morisano, set in Savannah and Paris, two of my favorite cities in the world. Written in their own voice, it's about old-school back and white folks and how they struggled to build trust and build an incredible restaurant, The Grey, at the same time. I was at The Grey in December, and it is an extraordinary place.
Table for Two—Amore Towles—I really liked his earlier book, A Gentleman in Moscow, and this did not disappoint. It's a good beach read. It's a collection of charming short stories, varied in tone and length. It's a solid book for the summer.
The Sweet Life in Paris—David LeBovitz A friend gave me this book after returning from a trip to Paris, almost as a sign that Paris was calling me to visit again. This is very David, written in his own particular voice that only a chef of his experience could have, and that of a gay man transitioning his entire life from San Fransisco to Paris. Additionally, he includes some recipes. I have tried the Gateau Therese, a French chocolate cake.
Democracy Awakening- Heather Cox Richardson My admiration of Heather Cox Richardson started with her column, Letter from an American. An incredibly gifted writer and historian, she gives us a dose of her analysis as a historian married with events spanning history today. On a recent trip to Kramer Books in Washington DC, I found her book, Democracy Awakening, and I was hooked. She is a unapologetic fan of the President Biden and his policies.
Links I Like
In anticipation for the 2024 Paris Olympics, here are a few Paris-related links I’ve been loving:
France embraces 'leaf' over 'beef' at Paris Olympics 2024 - EuroNews.com
The most beautiful cooking school in France! - The Cooks Atelier
My favorite restaurant and cooking store guide/blog in Paris - La Cuisine Paris
Baguette Scented Scratch-and-Sniff Stamps! - Food & Wine
Something Fun For Dessert!
I ran into this humorous story from The Washington Post about the woes of Spam lovers being stopped by TSA because their carry-on is overweight!
All the best,
- James Bell
I would submit you should be able to bring as much Spam on the plane as you wish!