Let them eat macaroni and ‘tortelloni al salmone’

Date: 03/12/1998

The European Commission agreed three weeks ago to send food aid to help the people of crisis-torn Russia through the winter.

However, the list of urgently needed commodities faxed through from Moscow shortly afterwards has caused some raised eyebrows in the Breydel in Brussels.

Along with the usual medical supplies, blankets, surplus grain and pigmeat, the Russians have filed a request for 30,000 tonnes of macaroni.

Agriculture Commissioner Franz Fischler has refused to send out to the nearest traiteur, pointing out that macaroni, being a processed product, cannot be financed from the EU farm budget.

“If we let this through, they'll be demanding tortelloni al salmone next,” said one appalled member of the EU lunching fraternity.