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<\/a><\/center><\/p>\nWith Obama in the White House, France is hoping to have a much better relationship — at least culturally and culinarily — with the US. <\/p>\n
However, shortly before leaving office, the Bush Administration approved<\/a> a 100 percent import duty on a bunch of EU items. France is upset<\/a> because one of its main cheeses, roquefort, is being hit with a 300 percent tariff. Many read this as one of the Bush Administration’s flipping the bird against France, who still have a US beef ban, and of course, antagonized the administration in early 2003. (Freedom fries, anyone?)<\/p>\n The US currently imports about two percent of the annual production of roquefort, but with the new tariff, it may make the cheese a luxury product<\/a>. The tariff is due to take effect on March 23. <\/p>\n Philippe Folliot<\/a>, a French MP who represents the region where roquefort is produced, has gone so far as to call for a “symbol against symbol” retaliation by imposing a tariff on Coca-Cola. (Um, huh?)<\/p>\n As a goodwill gesture, Martin Malvy<\/a>, the the president of the Midi-Pyrenees sent the White House a box of roquefort. (Awesome!)<\/p>\n Better yet, this week, French anti-globalization protestor Jose Bov\u00e9 (yes, that Jose Bov\u00e9<\/a>) led a delegation to deliver seven kilos of roquefort to the US Embassy in Paris.<\/p>\n Man, I could really go for some moules roquefort<\/a> right about now.<\/p>\n