The American ambassador in London has caused a diplomatic stir by complaining about British food.
Matthew Barzun, 43, who was the youngest US envoy to the Court of St James when he was appointed in November, is usually the model of diplomacy. However, his diplomatic faux pas comes in Tatler magazine, where he is asked about his ideal dinner party. “I’ll tell you what I would not serve — lamb and potatoes,” he said. “I must have had lamb and potatoes 180 times since I have been here.”
It is not clear where Mr Barzun has been eating all this lamb. However, he was one of the guests at the Prince of Wales’s 65th birthday celebration at Buckingham Palace in November.
Rowley Leigh, from Le Café Anglais, told the Daily Mail: “The thing is the Americans don’t really get lamb. They’d rather have beef or beef or possibly beef. When you have lamb the English way, with mint or redcurrant jelly, nothing can be more delicious.”
Guests at the US embassy have been treated to fried catfish, beef tacos and corn dogs, as well as pyramids of Ferrero Rocher chocolates topped with cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer.