Another food & politics report from Extreme Mortman culinary correspondent Vic Matus, known in other sophisticated literary circles as Weekly Standard assistant managing editor and blogger for Galley Slaves:

On the evening of June 29, the Austrian embassy transformed into “Café Europe: An Evening of European Temptation and Indulgence…” Or so it said on the invitation. But by the time we rolled in (at 10 p.m., with wife and mother-in-law), the building before us no longer resembled an embassy, but rather a dance club straight out of Vienna’s Bermuda Dreieck. Before we even got to the red-carpeted entrance, the first thing we noticed were the glowing red lights bathing the embassy’s façade. And then that all-too-familiar thumping of a heavy bass. (Are they really playing Haddaway’s “What is love?”) The main hall had become a techno-spectacle complete with strobe lights, nonsensical film clips on the wall, and even candelabra (in what my mother-in-law says was a homage to Mozart). Of course no Austrian party is complete without that most successful of Austrian exports–Red Bull. No wonder these affairs go on until 4 a.m.
 
Amidst the food, which included barbecue and Sachertorts, was a fountain that bubbled over with melted chocolate. I took a marshmallow on a stick, dipped it gently, took a bite, and began to lose consciousness. I was quickly revived, however, by a blast of Falco’s “Rock Me Amadeus”–the extended version. (Remember the brief history interlude? “On December 5th of that same year, Mozart dies…”)
 
There was, of course, a reason for this fest–the end of a successful Austrian presidency of the European Union. Germany takes over next–and inherits a grab-bag of issues including painful budget reform and Turkey’s accession (or not) into the union. Not that anyone had time for this that evening or the following morning, when Germany faced Argentina in the World Cup.
 
The kind Volk at the German embassy set up the big screen to broadcast the game and served Bitburg on tap, pretzels, and two different kinds of wurst with minirolls and mustard–what I call a balanced diet. Ambassador Klaus Scharioth was only able to attend an indecisive first half before leaving for official business. And when the Argentinians took the 1-0 lead, a sense of doom pervaded. But then the Germans tied it up and after two overtimes, won convincingly on penalty kicks. The crowd erupted. Raucous cheers broke out. Beer may have been spilled. Special props go out to Dr. José Schulz, embassy press counselor, who astutely predicted this outcome: a tie followed by a win on penalty kicks. (When I saw Dr. Schulz at an event after Germany’s loss to Italy, he could only shake his head and wistfully wonder what could have been.)
 
P.S. The German embassy, much like The Sands, is a place where you always leave a winner: Free pens, flags, t-shirts, and coasters for everyone!