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Michelle Obama Hosts Farm-To-Table Lunch At Stone Barns Center For Food & Agriculture (PHOTOS)

First Posted: 09/24/2010 3:52 pm   Updated: 05/25/2011 5:50 pm

Michelle Obama was down on the farm on Friday, along with First Ladies from a bushelful of nations visited the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture on Friday in Pocantico Hills, Westchester county, New York as part of Michelle's healthy eating program.

They received a tour from Executive Chef of Blue Hill restaurant Dan Barber, talked with students from JFK Magnet School and Pocantico Hills Central School and ate a farm-to-table lunch. According to pool reports, the menu included White House fruits and veggies, chicken, homemade yogurt and sachertorte for dessert.

The AP has more on the visit:

POCANTICO HILLS, N.Y. - First lady Michelle Obama gave her healthy eating initiative a global showcase Friday when she welcomed spouses of world leaders to tour a farm north of New York City, then treated them to a seasonal lunch featuring bounty from the farm and the White House garden.


The spouses, who came from places as diverse as Cameroon, Mongolia, Swaziland and Latvia, toured the Stone Barns Center about 25 miles north of New York, which is both a farm and an educational center working on sustainable farming -- a cause close to the first lady's heart.

And it shares the premises with one of the most renowned restaurants in the New York area, Blue Hill at Stone Barns, where the women lunched on sungold tomatoes from the White House Kitchen Garden, eggs harvested minutes earlier from the farm's chickens, and chicken with eggplant and ratatouille -- also from the White House garden.

Addressing the spouses, Mrs. Obama, wearing an appropriately floral-and foliage-themed print dress, emphasized the importance of children learning directly about the food they eat. Also participating in the day's events were third-graders from two local schools, who helped prepare the lunch by harvesting eggs and collecting herbs.

"Many kids may never learn that ketchup comes from a tomato and french fries from a potato," Mrs. Obama said. "Because they're disconnected from the food they eat."

And speaking of tomatoes, the first lady related a story about how daughter Sasha had been a tomato-phobe -- until she made her own tomato, mozzarella and pesto sandwich in a cooking class at school. "Do you know those hair tomatoes?" she asked her mother, referring to heirloom tomatoes, Mrs. Obama recounted. "Now THOSE are good tomatoes!"

Now, Mrs. Obama said, Sasha is a fan. "We can do that with our children," she added.

The day's meal was prepared by the restaurant's top chef and co-owner, Dan Barber, as well as three White House chefs who flew up for the occasion: Cristeta Comerford, Bill Yosses and Sam Kass, who is active in the first lady's anti-obesity initiative.

The spouses were serenaded by a string quartet from the Juilliard School in New York City as they ate. And yes, of course there was and appropriately healthy dessert: Red jacket apricots, accompanied by "White House honey sorbet."

For the occasion, Michelle donned a Tracy Feith dress and silver ballet flats. Check out pictures from the afternoon.

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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
darkwaterwoman
06:41 PM on 09/28/2010
A good look for her, drapes well over her hips, not too casual, not too dressy. I proclaim it as perfect! A better question would be...exactly what is that on the head of the first lady of Cameroon? LOL Looks like natural hair. About 20 women somewhere are baldheaded behind that.
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PoliSci2008
Independent
04:21 PM on 09/28/2010
Great pictures of our FLOTUS! She's really a warm, charming person.
85Percent
Southern Liberal & Michigander
10:07 PM on 09/27/2010
I tend to be picky about her clothing choices, but this is a nice dress that fits her well, and it drapes beautifully. Lovely!
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Natasha Iriah
Sojourner Truth
01:48 PM on 09/27/2010
Did Cameroon's first lady think there was also gonna be a wig party or wut?......
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
RGreen7756
10:42 AM on 09/28/2010
OMG. Your comment is too funny. I laughed out loud at work. hahahahahaha Thanks! I needed that.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
FlaviaDeLuce
books rule
01:21 PM on 09/27/2010
I love her dress, gorgeous! She has great style
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Tinki - bot
Be excellent to each other!
03:21 AM on 09/27/2010
There is such a warmth and grace about her, absolutely wonderful to see.
The body language of her guests just says it all, really.

Be proud America; what a wonderful ambassador to the world!
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
shutterbabe
“We can't stop here, this is bat country!”
11:03 AM on 09/27/2010
Faved, Tinki. I see others have done the same. Terrific post.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
pgurlatl
libby chic geek
12:07 AM on 09/27/2010
I wonder who makes Cameroon's First Lady's wigs?
85Percent
Southern Liberal & Michigander
10:05 PM on 09/27/2010
If you find out, Sarah Palin wants to know.
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alongst
too often denied to speak
03:15 AM on 09/29/2010
Apparently Michelle Obama is off limits to any criticism, but anyone else is fair game here ?
Stay classless !
03:15 PM on 09/26/2010
Michelle Obama is invariably hospitable and charming. I think she makes a great ambassador for the US with these visiting spouces. And I can only wonder at how amusing it must make some of them, like the first lady of Cameroon, wonder at how Americans are featuring chickens as innovative! Most people in Cameroon, who are very poor, are glad to have a chicken. Her dress is lovely and looks wonderful on her. She's tall symbolically as well as actually. In the interest of Americans eating more veggies: you can make fabulous okra (buy young, small ones), corn on the cob (small kernals have the best flavor and more vitamins), asparagus, string beans, snow peas, etc. by nuking them a sort time in a microwave. You can even do this at office - it only takes 1 ot at most 2 (for the corn) minutes! Don't put any water in, but drain off any which comes out after heating. Then put a tiny bit of olive oil or butter and lemon juice or Dijon mustard. Yum! DELICIOUS. And it beats the flavor of French fries any time. Kids love to do this too, because they can cook this way. Make designs with the veggies - your own happy meals.
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05:22 AM on 09/27/2010
When I was in college, I was a big fan of the microwaved "baked" potato.
85Percent
Southern Liberal & Michigander
10:22 PM on 09/27/2010
My favorite reason for nuking fresh or frozen veggies is that for some reason, they need no salt.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
alicam
01:29 PM on 09/26/2010
She may or may not have said she hates being First Lady--if she did, I can totally understand and don't hold it against her--but as a young black woman she has no idea how much joy I get (and so many others) from seeing her as First Lady. She does a sista's heart good. :)
02:03 PM on 09/26/2010
AMEN!

". . . Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you PROUD . . . "


~ Maya Angelou's "Phenomenal Woman"
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photo
01:26 AM on 09/27/2010
Beautiful. Thank you for posting that.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
shutterbabe
“We can't stop here, this is bat country!”
11:01 AM on 09/27/2010
This is one of my favorite poems. I keep it in my office for inspiration and have posted it on HP on occasion for its power and beauty.
10:32 PM on 09/26/2010
She does this white girl's heart good too! She's a role model for anyone, including men and the people that can't see that, well, their loss. I absolutely admire her.
09:08 AM on 09/26/2010
Cameroon's First Lady Chantal Biya just cannot go casual dressy for a vineyard even if style would depend on it ...looks too hot and uncomfortable...somebody please tell the woman ...there is too much and then there is too da*** much represent Cameroon with a lot more dignity
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
shutterbabe
“We can't stop here, this is bat country!”
10:53 AM on 09/26/2010
I studied these photographs and just see true connection between these great ladies of the world.
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Tinki - bot
Be excellent to each other!
03:26 AM on 09/27/2010
That's what struck me as well.
I don't recall ever seeing any other photos of a similar setting / context that looked anything like this.

It really does look like a bunch of old friends getting together.
Wonderful
HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
patriciacaldwell
Yes, this keeps me awake at night.
11:57 AM on 09/26/2010
I wish everybody would leave Chantel alone. She's theatrical. That's the way she rolls.
Karama
Procrastinator
12:15 AM on 09/27/2010
I agree! She looks like she loves life and is a lot of fun to be friends with. I wonder how long it takes to fix her hair before going out.
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01:31 AM on 09/27/2010
I agree. I think she's wonderful.
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cheo
better a bleeding heart than none at all
04:01 AM on 09/26/2010
Mrs. Obama is a great ambassador on behalf of our country. It amazes me how she always seems so at ease.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
mukTech
Prince of Congo
03:09 AM on 09/26/2010
Picture #8, the first lady of Cameroon is a nut case. Everyone is dressed for the occasion; she is dressed for the other occasion. Oh my homeland Africa.
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cheo
better a bleeding heart than none at all
03:55 AM on 09/26/2010
She definitely has some serious hair!
HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
patriciacaldwell
Yes, this keeps me awake at night.
12:05 PM on 09/26/2010
I love this lady's flair, and am horrified by all of the nasty comments I've read about her. I'm a woman of Scots-Irish descent who wears mostly black and gray separates, no makeup (but sunscreen), and just scrunch my curls when I shampoo my hair. What I'm saying is that I'm low maintenance, but that doesn't keep me from enjoying the way these women, including Chantel, choose to express their individuality. Come on ladies, support each other!
11:38 PM on 09/25/2010
I love this idea. I think I may do just this (on a much smaller scale of course)
10:10 PM on 09/25/2010
Look like a really fun day/event. Our First Lady looked lovely!
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Yurdelite51
04:54 PM on 09/25/2010
Isn't it funny that the conservatives attack this lady for taking on childhood obesity but had no problem with any of the other First Lady's endeavors like Nancy and "Just say No" to drugs.  Wasn't THAT an intrusion into our lives as well as our children's?  Anybody remember what Laura Bush's was?  Exactly.
05:25 PM on 09/25/2010
I think Mrs. Bush had a few education initiatives, literacy was one of her projects. By the way, you are 100% correct.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Yurdelite51
06:25 PM on 09/25/2010
And YOU are correct.  Reading literacy.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Gustavo Rejivik
04:06 AM on 09/26/2010
What First Lady pet project can you name that really worked?? Exactly ... give it up ... she looked awful in those flats and wasted even more taxpayer money on yet another trip.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Yurdelite51
10:29 AM on 09/26/2010
AND you had no problem then JUST NOW.  You are full of it.
HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
patriciacaldwell
Yes, this keeps me awake at night.
12:16 PM on 09/26/2010
Bitterness is not a becoming trait, and it will give you frown lines. Michelle's initiative, the funding for which is being held hostage by the Republicans, is more than a pet project. This is a MAJOR health issue for the future of America --- our children. You slam her initiative; you criticize her for doing her job to entertain these women, and you make a petty remark about her practical choice in footwear. Think. Are flats appropriate for this event? Yes. Are they comfortable for walking? Yes. Are they the right choice for a tall woman in the company of very short women? Yes. Is silver in style for daytime wear? Yes. What's not to like? I don't like your attitude.