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A view of the place setting at the State Dinner. Photo: Gerald Herbert, AP
I lived in Washington, D.C., for several years during the Clinton and George W. Bush administrations, and whenever there was a State Dinner the city would buzz. It's a night for the "Hollywood of Ugly People," as the nation's capital is often called, to shed those navy and red suits and play dress up. But last night's State Dinner, the Obamas' first official dinner since taking office, seemed different. Sure, the First Couple looked incredibly stylish (and ridiculously in love!), but the party itself looked like it was straight from the pages of Town & Country.
And we were inspired.
So we decided to find out the story behind the elegant dishes, the captivating candlelight and the gorgeous greenery that dominated the grand tent on the White House's South Lawn. Take a look around.
Don't miss our gallery of Presidential China Patterns below -- it's an inside look at some of the White House's most elegant dishes.
White House State Dinner
President Obama and First Lady Michelle hosted their first official State Dinner on November 24, welcoming Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur to their grand Washington, D.C. home -- with a couple hundred other guests. The State Dinner stands out for its modern decor and especially elegant ambiance. Here's your seat at the biggest (and most stylish) event in the nation last night.
The Obamas greeted their guests at the North Portico of the White House. Here, they meet the guests of honor -- Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur. Just wait until you get inside.
The White House set up a large tent on the South Lawn to hold the dinner. Chandeliers were woven with greenery -- an ode to Michelle's love of gardening, perhaps -- and tables were lined with candles. On the walls, you might notice arrangements of magnolia branches. Also serving as decor: locally-grown ivy and nandina foliage.
The round tables were draped in apple green linens, and in honor of the Indian Peacock, deep purple flowers were placed at the center of each table. Designed by White House florist Laura Dowling and her team, the centerpieces are meant to evoke "the classic American garden," says the First Lady's Office. They're made up of purple, plum and fuchsia hydrangea, garden roses and sweet peas. All of the bouquets will be re-used throughout the White House after the dinner, a purposeful act of recycling.
The tables were set with dishware from the White House's historic China collection. The service plates are Castleton China from the Eisenhower administration and Lenox plates from the Clinton years that were commissioned to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the White House. The dinner plates, also designed by Lenox, hail from the George W. Bush years, a gift of the White House Acquisition Trust in 2009.
Some of the food hailed from Michelle's famous gardens. Guests nibbled on a dinner cooked with herbs and lettuce from the White House garden. The honey used with the poached pears came from the White House beehive. Desserts were garnished with mint and lemon verbena grown in the White House Kitchen Garden.
White House Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford and Guest Chef Marcus Samuelsson created the menu. Since the Indian Prime Minister is a vegetarian, there were lots of healthful choices, including potato and eggplant salad, red lentil soup and green curry prawns with collard greens.
A view of the exterior of the grand tent.
Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)
We sure be thankfull that justice has come back to our nation, MR President Obama has not been able to change the mess George Bush got us in to but he sure has made a progress and at least he dont do speaches drunk like bush.
ReplyDo you think that he was drunk while running the country for two terms!!!! you all sure see bush funny videos on you tube. no wonder other nations think we are gerks.........