Fall flavors and tones at South Korea state dinner

US President Barack Obama Thursday offered his state dinner guest South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak an autumn harvest menu with vegetables grown in the White House kitchen garden at a state dinner. The menu featured butternut squash bisque, honey poached cranberries, Virginia cured ham, pumpkin seed praline and creme fraiche for a starter. The second course offered early fall harvest salad on daikon sheets, masago rice pearl crispies, rice wine vinaigrette, served with kabocha squash. For the main course, Obama served Lee Texas Wagyu beef, orange-ginger fondue, sauteed kale and roasted kabocha Squash. Some of the vegetables were harvested this week by US First Lady Michelle Obama with local schoolchildren in the garden she established in the White House grounds to highlight her "Let's Move!" health and fitness campaign. Symbolizing the strength of the US-South Korea alliance, the White House served chocolate cake layered with a blend of Korean and American pears for dessert. The dinner for around 200 guests was served in the ceremonial East Room of the White House, decorated with bright autumn tones or red, orange and green and apple centerpiece ornaments.