"There is a bright spot or two for the Spaniards. French toast has become freedom toast on the Air Force One breakfast menu, but the Spanish omelet is still a Spanish omelet"

This quote by Suzanne Fields alludes to political and cultural dynamics, using food as a metaphor for worldwide relations and identity. The recommendation to "French toast" ending up being "flexibility toast" links to the duration throughout the early 2000s when tensions between the United States and France were high, especially due to France's opposition to the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. In response, some Americans, as a form of protest, renamed French fries to "freedom fries" and French toast to "freedom toast" in different menus to express their annoyance with France's stance. This cooking renaming signified a rejection or rebranding of French cultural components in light of political disputes.

The quote continues with "however the Spanish omelet is still a Spanish omelet", highlighting how cultural aspects related to Spain stayed unchanged or undisputed in the U.S., a minimum of within this particular context. The "brilliant spot" for the Spaniards may describe the reality that Spanish contributions to culture or food were not subjected to the same politicized relabeling or rejection, possibly since Spain's political relations with the U.S. were not as stretched as those with France during that period.

This suggests a broader commentary on how geopolitical relationships can influence cultural understandings and exchanges. It indicates that some nations' cultural signs or contributions may escape politicized reinterpretation based on the existing state of international relations. For Spain, preserving the "Spanish omelet" label shows a neutrality or a favorable relationship with the United States at that time, in contrast to France's experience.

In general, Fields utilizes food symbolism to assess how global politics can affect cultural identities and how some symbols remain steady in the middle of political turbulence, representing connection and acceptance in multicultural exchanges.