"president obama" news and stories

Photo: John Paul Filo, CBS Broadcasting Inc./AP.

President Obama made his first appearance Monday night on the "Late Show with David Letterman" as President of the United States, but it was a potato that stole the show.

The commander-in-chief -- who made his sixth appearance on the talk show (his first as President) to discuss Afghanistan, the economy, unemployment and health care -- was upstaged by a heart-shaped potato, brought to the show's taping by Mary Apple of Independence, Mo.

"The main reason I'm here?" the President said. "I want to see that heart-shaped potato."

Each Thursday, we round up a selection of scrumptious links from our friends over at YumSugar. Here's what they've got cooking this week.

Memo to the First Lady: That's the nicest-looking gardening outfit we've ever seen! Take this quiz and find out how well you know what the Obamas are planting this year.

A pretty dang delicious-looking milk chocolate and peanut butter cookie recipe.

Edamame in linguine? They make it look tasty over at YumSugar.

A writer is entranced by the simple charms of homemade tortillas. Have you tried it? Take their poll.

McDonald's joins the upscale burger trend with one-third pound Angus patties, coming this August.

A familiar face from Chicago is joining the White House kitchen.

Chef Sam Kass, 28, who cooked for the Obamas and other families on the South Side of Chicago, has been named assistant White House chef -- one of three assistants under executive chef Cristeta Comerford.

The University of Chicago grad's pedigree with the sustainable food movement seems to be answering the call from chefs like Alice Waters, who wrote then President-elect Obama in November urging him "to set the tone for how the nation should feed itself."

Since Barack Obama won the November Presidential election, there has been much speculation as to whether he and his family would retain current White House chef Cristeta Comerford or replace her with a new chef of their choosing. Reporters and bloggers suggested nearly every single prominent chef cooking in the U.S. today, including Oprah Winfrey's personal chef Art Smith and high-end Mexican expert Rick Bayless.

However, it was announced yesterday and the Obamas would retain Chef Comerford as White House Executive Chef. She is the first woman and first minority to hold that position. Congratulations Chef Comerford!

[via AP]

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