Mr Sarkozy....Please place your fondue set where the sun does not shine

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 3:23 pm

RICHARD KAY: French insult Gordon Brown - over a fondue! | Mail Online

As Gordon Brown aims to rekindle the 'special relationship' over lunch with Barack Obama at the White House today, it is to be hoped he is treated with more consideration than was the case when he and his wife Sarah dined at the home of French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

In an unsavoury and extraordinary postscript to the dinner, one of his fellow guests - a senior French official - has been making fun of the Prime Minister's difficulty with food laid on by Sarkozy's pop star wife Carla Bruni.

The dish was a Savoyard fondue, a bubbling hot pot of melting cheese and wine which is consumed by dipping pieces of bread into it - and which is never easy to eat.

Gordon Brown and wife Sarah (left) greet French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni in London last year. At a later dinner the four shared in Paris, Brown found Bruni's fondue quite a struggle

For Mr Brown, who is blind in one eye and with reduced vision in the other which affects his hand-eye coordination, the meal was something of an ordeal.

But for Francois Perol, one of Sarkozy's closest aides, the occasion, which occured during the Browns' visit to Paris in January when they were guests at Miss Bruni's home near the Bois de Boulogne, has become an opportunity for mirth.

In an outburst that at best could be described as insensitive and at worst a diplomatic gaffe, Perol speaks of his amusement at watching Brown cope with Carla's runny fondue.

The remarks are bound to irritate Downing Street and are potentially embarrassing for Sarkozy, who is already smarting that Mr Brown beat him to the White House.

In an interview to discuss his new job running France's second largest bank, Perol, 45, says: 'The most amusing thing during my time at the Elysee Palace was to see Gordon Brown trying to eat Savoyard fondue chez Carla. It was really worth being there.'

Last night, a friend of Brown's says: 'It shouldn't surprise anyone who knows Gordon. He can't see out of one eye and can only see partially out of the other. So you can imagine how difficult it would be for him to eat something like that. All the same, the remarks are incredibly crass.'

Mr Brown can take a crumb of comfort. Car tyre heiress Carla, 41, has herself been humiliated this week. She failed to receive a single nomination at France's equivalent of the Brit awards and the sales of her albums have plunged.

Post by **Peter Lake** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 8:04 pm

A very polite title coming from you Mrs.

AussiePam · Post by **AussiePam** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 9:14 pm

I can see the hardworking journos of the Online Mail peeing themselves with happiness as they uncover this awesome piece of news which apparently occurred some time last January. Of course it's timely now to set it over a gentle warming flame - as the current Big Cheese of England and the current Grand Fromage of France are posturing round, as politicians do, trying to outdo each other in kissing the rear end of another current Supersize Cheese for the position of European Helper-Saviour of the World.

Taking a cheap swing at a First Lady is a bit over the top though.

The real question of course is - is fondue now back in vogue? My daughter asked me this the other day. I threw out my fondue set ages ago, though I admit to having enjoyed the dish in Chamonix. I can feel a fondue coming on .... recipe

http://www.raclette.com.au/raclette_rec ... ondue.html

Post by **Peter Lake** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 9:24 pm

AussiePam;1154164 wrote: I can see the hardworking journos of the Online Mail peeing themselves with happiness as they uncover this awesome piece of news which apparently occurred some time last January. Of course it's timely now to set it over a gentle warming flame - as the current Big Cheese of England and the current Grand Fromage of France are posturing round, as politicians do, trying to outdo each other is kissing the rear end of another current Supersize Cheese for the position of European Helper-Saviour of the World.

Taking a cheap swing at a First Lady is a bit over the top though.

The real question of course is - is fondue now back in vogue? My daughter asked me this the other day. I threw out my fondue set ages ago, though I admit to having enjoyed the dish in Chamonix. I can feel a fondue coming on .... Good Evening Pam.

My wife was hissing fury over this story and i have to agree with her that Mr Brown's disbility should not be mocked.

The big cheese of England and the Grand Fromage of France... I like that :wah:

Indeed, taking a swipe at the first lady was below the belt and I'm surprised they have not mentioned her former beau Sir Jagger in this story.

Now to the important part... Yes, i think Fondue is seeing a revival. I was at Ikea recently and they are selling them. I myself love a good fondue with a mixture of cheese and herb crusty bread.

AussiePam · Post by **AussiePam** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 10:31 pm

Nobody's disability should be mocked, Peter - and I haven't yet seen any evidence that either the Grand Fromage nor La bella formaggia carla ever did. Much more likely some wanker photographer caught someone laughing and cobbled together a good story to support whatever political flavour his/her media masters were into. In January!!!

And yes, Carla's known a few amours... and she's a lady of class and considerable style - and I enjoy her music, particularly her first album. But I have all three.

I think your own good lady hisses fury over a good many things - and that's fine by me. Some of them need to have fury hissed over them.. grin.

As to fondue - I think I will indeed revive that at Casa Pamela.

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 1:16 am

Hmmnnn, methinks some more Daily Mail xenophobic mischief making at the expense of the First Lady of France and little Napoleon himself. Oh well, ever was it thus I suppose. :rolleyes:

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 11:32 am

Galbally;1154210 wrote: Hmmnnn, methinks some more Daily Mail xenophobic mischief making at the expense of the First Lady of France and little Napoleon himself. Oh well, ever was it thus I suppose. :rolleyes: I googled this story and it's reported in many papers including The Telegraph so No, in hindsight, i don't think it is down to The Mail. It is an insult to another Leader. It's not actually the Big Cheese and his first lady, but one of his payroll. Can't wait until he comes over here.