Main Content

Russian State Dinner Dessert - 1987: Honey Vanilla Ice Cream with Russian Tea Parfait

Russian State Dinner Dessert - 1987: Honey Vanilla Ice Cream with Russian Tea Parfait

"When Mikhail Gorbachev arrived in Washington, it was clear he was well liked . . . While referring to the nation's culture I was careful to avoid political or religious references for fear of giving offense or creating a misunderstanding. I designed the dessert to exhibit some Russian flair, starting with the chocolate base, which had a pattern borrowed from the parquet floor in the Kremlin. Two sugar baskets with white and green pulled-sugar ribbons held fresh raspberries, a delicacy in Russia . . . In the center of the platter was a sphere of honey vanilla ice cream filled with a tea parfait, honey and tea being two very popular flavors in Russia. I molded the small chocolate candies that you can see in front of the ice cream to resemble the onion domes of the Kremlin. Acorn-shaped meringue cookies filled with vodka jam completed the presentation." - Excerpt from "A Sweet World of White House Desserts" by Roland Mesnier.

Date of Work
1987
Medium
Photo
Credit
Collection of Roland Mesnier

Share

Related

Related
Next State Dinners

You Might Also Like

  • Collection

    State Dinners

    A State Dinner honoring a visiting head of government or reigning monarch is one of the grandest and most glamorous of White House affairs. It is part of an official State Visit and provides the president and first lady the opportunity to honor the visiting head of state and his or her spouse. In this collection, explore the history of

  • Collection

    Dining in the Executive Mansion

    A dinner at the White House has always had significance beyond the gastronomical delights. The elegance of the State Dining Room and the intimacy of the Family Dining Room set the stage for the politics and diplomacy that takes place between courses. In this collection, learn how the style of each room has evolved with its purpose, and how the

  • Collection

    The Hospitality of Diplomacy

    The White House has hosted many important heads of state over the years. Typically, the president and first lady join the visiting leader for official talks, leisurely activities and, in many cases, a State Dinner. When Chinese Vice Premiere Deng Xiaoping (Teng Hsiao-ping) and his wife Madame Zhuo Lin came to the White House in 1979, it marked the highest-ranking Chinese

  • Collection

    Diplomacy With Our Northern Neighbors

    Geography, history, and friendship have been the driving force of ties between the United States and Canada. In 1927, official rapport was established when our two countries received ambassadors and began a long diplomatic relationship. The first official state dinner hosted in honor of Canada's highest appointed official was held on December 6, 1927, as President Calvin Coolidge and First Lady Grace Coolidge

  • Collection

    Italy in the White House

    Long before the emergence of the United States and Italy as modern nation states were influenced by classical writers, philosophers, theorists, and polymaths of the ancient world. The United States' diplomatic relationship with Italy began long before Italian President Antonio Segni was an official guest of President Lyndon B. Johnson in January of 1964. Since then, many other Italian leaders have

  • Collection

    A Cultural Connection

    For more than two hundred years, France and the United States have enjoyed a relationship unparalleled in world history. From the American Revolution and the Founding Fathers to the current administration, these two countries have shared a strong connection through art, culture, and history. This collection highlights that connection and the protocol of official foreign visits by French heads of

  • Page

    Singapore State Visits to the White House

    April 10, 1973: Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew — Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and President Richard M. Nixon held discussions emphasizing continued close cooperation between the United States and Singapore and other allies in Asia and the Pacific.The State Dinner’s menu featured roast beef tenderloin aux champignons, seafood merlion supreme, béarnaise sauce, Bibb lettuce salad, brie cheese and crepe suzet

  • Page

    Italian State Dinners at the White House

    January 14, 1964: State Dinner for Italian President Antonio Segni was hosted by President Lyndon Baines Johnson. Featured entertainment included Robert Merrill of the Metropolitan Opera and the New Christy Minstrels. President Segni and his wife were given a silver box, engraved with maps of both countries and a sentence from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (“Italy remains to all, the land of dreams an

  • Page

    The United Kingdom and Ireland in the White House: A Conversation on Historical Perspectives

    May 3, 2018 8:00 am - 9:00 am Registration and light breakfast in Decatur House Parlors9:00 am - 9:20 am Welcome and OverviewThe Hon. Frederick J. Ryan, Jr., Board Chair, White House Historical AssociationHis Excellency Sir Kim Darroch, Ambassador of the United Kingdom to the United StatesHis Excellency Daniel Mulhall, Ambassador of Ireland to the United States9:20 am - 10:00 am First Keynote: 200 Years of the

  • Page

    State Dining Room

    The State Dining Room, which now seats as many as 140 guests, was originally much smaller and served at various times as a drawing room, office, and Cabinet Room. Today's State Dining Room incorporates the space that President Thomas Jefferson used as a private office. Tall and generously proportioned, the room had fireplaces on the east and west and was flooded