When the menu for Bill Gates' dinner party with the Chinese President Hu Jintao was published, it sparked a lot of interest. Local ingredients, regional favorites, the overall low-key menu selection... etc.,  were all widely praised, but the vast majority of the interest in the menu was focused on dessert. The Seattle Times was inundated with requests for the recipe of the Rhubarb Brown Butter Almond Cake that was served at the dinner. Of course, they complied with reader requests and obtained the recipe from the chef. Just to make sure it was as good as it sounded, food blogger Molly, of Orangette, made a batch of mini cakelettes using the recipe. I can only imagine the taste, but if it's even half as good as it looks, this recipe makes one fantastic cake. The full recipe can be found here, and the cakelette recipe can be found at Orangette.

If ever you wondered what Grand Emperor of the Microsoft Empire, Bill Gates, might serve at a dinner party at his house, er rather, estate, wonder no more.

Yes, up until the actual evening of the dinner, many were all in a tizzy about the $20,000/person price tag,and speculating on who was and who was not included on the guest list to the soiree that included President of China Hu Jintao and his wife, Madame Liu Yonqing. However, we at Slashfood care about what was, and was not included on...the menu.

The first course is a smoked guinea fowl salad with hazelnuts, spring radishes and Granny Smith apples, followed by a choice from three entrees: filet of beef with Walla Walla onions, asparagus, celeriac puree, and chervil glace; Alaskan halibut and spot prawns with spring vegetables, fingerling potatoes, and smoked tomato infused olive oil; and something vegetarian that had no further details. The dessert is a rhubarb brown butter almond cake.

Thank goodness Bill didn't serve "chipper chicken."