The Internet Skewers Ivanka Trump Over Arabella’s Birthday Snack

Arabella celebrates her 6th birthday with an unusual Filipino dish: hot dog-and-marshmallow skewers. Image by Instagram/@IvankaTrump

By Michelle Honig July 23, 2017

Ivanka Trump made headlines last week for photos posted during her daughter Arabella’s birthday party. The scandalous Instagram story featured a unique dish: skewered hot dogs and marshmallows.

Although kosher marshmallows are difficult to obtain due to kashrut issues surrounding gelatin, it wasn’t immediately clear whether Ivanka ventured into her local kosher supermarket to get some heimish versions of the pillowy, sweet treat.

But the Internet was far more concerned about this strange food combo than with any sort of religious dietary laws.

The Internet’s reaction was immediate and harsh: She was skewered by a variety of (presumably) anti-Trumpists, like Teen Vogue’s chief political agitator Lauren Duca, who declared that this was yet another indication that the Trump family could not be trusted.

The Trump family simply cannot be trusted pic.twitter.com/1pji0kwcsY

— Lauren Duca (@laurenduca) July 18, 2017

Some comments were less dramatic and simply inquired as to whether this was “a thing,” and why anyone in God’s name would do that to a hot dog.

Wait, is that a burnt hot dog with a marshmallow on the end?! SO MANY QUESTIONS! https://t.co/JzZLcb3x0N

— Kelly-Anne Kratz (@kratzk214) July 18, 2017

I need to know more about this marshmallow and hot dog situation—is this a thing? has anyone tried this? #mallowdogs pic.twitter.com/RicyXrVuFf

— Whitney Ksiazek (@SoooWhitty) July 18, 2017

But it soon became apparent that these pithy Twitter moments were not bouts of genius, but flashes of ignorance. You see, marshmallows and hot dogs on sticks are a traditional snack in the Philippines, served as a treat to Filipino children.

Alright, Ivanka, you win this round.

Michelle Honig is the food intern of the Forward. Find her on Instagram and Twitter.

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO