Bidens to serve Macrons US cheeses at White House state dinner

US president and first lady to treat French counterparts with Oregon blue cheese and American sparkling wine at lavish dinner

It's a bold gambit by the Americans, to meet the French in an arena over which they have long been masters par excellence: wine and cheese.

But such is Jill Biden's sang-froid that she will offer America's best to the French president, Emmanuel Macron, his wife, Brigitte Macron, and their entourage at a lavish White House dinner on Thursday - just one of the elaborate details and valuable gifts forming part of the diplomatic dance surrounding this state visit.