the gourmet occupation

OK, this is just plan weird, from the Washington Post: who knew that L. Paul Bremer, former head of the "Coalition Provisional Authority" in Iraq, was also a classically-trained French chef?

"The food in Iraq is delicious," says Bremer, "a blend of standard Arabic cuisine with Persian influences and Turkish influence in the north. And the Kurds live in a garden paradise -- they can grow anything: nuts, apples, pears, apricots, grapes, melons, herbs. They make great goat cheeses, cow's milk cheeses and the best honey I've eaten anywhere."

As for putting those such influences into practice, "I'm inclined to use a technique I know and add an ingredient I've found traveling," Bremer says, handing out samples of the dried lime that will add a subtle tang to the silky rich demi-glace and the pomegranate molasses that is in stages sweet, sour and bitter and that will cut and accentuate the creamy richness of the Fontainebleau for dessert.

Perhaps he should have stayed in the kitchen, where he seems to be more succcessful at improvising creative responses to sticky situations. That said, despite my political bones to pick with Mr. Bremer, I'm in full agreement on the subject of pomegranate molasses. Yum.