In between getting ready to cook the White House state dinner, Rick Bayless sat down with NPR to talk further about the event. He didn’t reveal anything particularly new, but what’s fascinating is that it doesn’t seem like NPR actually paid attention to what he said. The title of the segment is “Rick Bayless Serves Street Food At The White House.” However, the only food Bayless talks about is mole, which features over 27 ingredients and is one of the most laborious and complex recipes in Mexican cuisine. He actually arrived two days ahead of the event so he could finish it in time. We think the issue comes down to one portion of the interview.
SIMON: New York Times says there’s going to be a mole to beat the band on the menu. Can you talk a little bit about that?
Chef BAYLESS: Well, it’s an interesting thing to me because obviously most people in the United States think - still think of Mexican food so much in terms of the simple street foods like tacos and such. And I certainly wanted to feature something that I consider to be Mexico’s greatest dish. So, yes, Im going to be making a mole and I think it’s got 27, 28 different ingredients in it.
Doesn’t he mean that he won’t be cooking street food? How can mole be grouped in that same category? Ah well.
In other Bayless news, he’s in D.C. and already tweeting up a storm. One would think with all the restrictions surrounding Rick Bayless’s White House appearance, someone might have confiscated his phone when he started. But no: “Just arrived in DC. Headed to the White House kitchens. I have to say: I’m a little nervous …” Here’s hoping that Bayless gets to tweet the whole incredibly long process while he’s in the kitchen.
