This photograph of First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton and White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier with the White House gingerbread house was taken in December 1999. Chef Mesnier and his team created gingerbread versions of the White House, the Washington Monument, the Jefferson Memorial, and Mount Vernon. The scene also included the Potomac river winding through the display. The theme chosen for 1999 was "Saving America's Treasures," highlighting Mrs. Clinton's program to help preserve important landmarks and historic artifacts.

This photograph, taken by Joseph J. Scherschel of National Geographic on December 1969, shows a tray of pastries that was served during a breakfast reception in the Blue Room. Coffee and orange juice were also served. It is possible the desserts were served during a White House holiday reception during the Richard M. Nixon administration; when these pastries were served the Blue Room was festively decorated with red candles, garlands, and ornaments for the season.

This photograph shows a trio of holiday desserts served atop a plate from the Ronald Reagan state service. At right is a three-layer chocolate cake, topped with a marzipan ribbon to resemble a gift. Immediately left of the cake is a piped rosette of chestnut mousse served atop a drizzle of raspberry sauce. At top is a chocolate Christmas tree decorated with ornaments made of royal icing and a marzipan star. The desserts were likely prepared by White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Mesnier joined the White House Kitchen in 1979 and retired in 2004.

This photograph shows a bûche de Noël or Yule log cake made by White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. The traditional and festive holiday cake was a favorite at White House Christmas parties. The cake pictured here consists of a rolled sponge roulade cake covered in dark buttercream and decorated with meringue mushrooms and marzipan details to resemble a tree log adorned with holiday figures including a snowman and Santa Claus.

This photograph shows several bûche de Noël or Yule log cakes prepared by Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier and the White House pastry team during a private event for friends and family during the George H. W. Bush administration. The desserts were made from a chocolate soufflé roulade and topped with marzipan decorations suggestive of a winter woodland scene. Mesnier's bûche de noël cakes were a favorite dessert at many White House Christmas parties. Mesnier joined the White House Kitchen in 1979 and retired in 2004.

This dessert was first made by White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier to serve at a State Dinner hosted by President Bill Clinton for Prime Minister Tony Blair of the United Kingdom on February 5, 1998. It consists of a chocolate basket decorated with green piping and supported by a thin roulade biscuit, filled with alternating layers of whole poached strawberries and a lemon cream lightened with Devonshire cream.

This dessert was made for a holiday party by White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier around 1985. It consists of a Christmas tree made from chatreuse ice cream topped with a white chocolate angel. The tree is decorated with marzipan and fresh berries and stands atop an oval made from dried meringue. The tree is accompanied by pinecones made from a pomegranate sorbet quenelle with scales molded from tempered chocolate.

This photograph shows two coconut chocolate squares, a popular dessert cookie prepared by White House Executive Pastry Chef Ronald Mesnier and the White House Pastry Shop for Christmas parties during the Bill Clinton administration. Baked in advance months before the holidays, the crowd-pleasing dessert is frozen to easily serve at large receptions. The dessert consists of a base made from pâte sucrée mixed with coconut and orange marmalade, topped with a dark chocolate ganache.

This photograph shows a plate of hazelnut crescents, a dessert cookie served at White House Christmas parties. Due to their immense popularity, White House Executive Pastry Chef Ronald Mesnier and the White House Pastry Shop typically prepared thousands of these cookies each holiday season. Ingredients in the crumbly cookies included hazelnut flour, ground cinnamon, vanilla extract, and confectioner's sugar.

This photograph shows two Florentine squares, a popular dessert cookie prepared by White House Executive Pastry Chef Ronald Mesnier and the White House Pastry Shop for Christmas and holiday parties. Made from pâte sucrée topped with a filling made from dried fruits, nuts, and honey, the dessert is often made in bulk and frozen to accommodate large parties.

In this photograph, taken by Shealah Craighead, former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier (right) and assistant pastry chef Mark Ramsdell (left) work on assembling the 2006 Official White House Gingerbread House in the China Room. Ramsdell joined the White House pastry team in 1992, and worked alongside Mesnier as an assistant pastry chef in the White House Kitchen during the Bill Clinton and George W. Bush administrations. Mesnier retired in 2004, but returned at the request of First Lady Laura Welch Bush to create the "Red and White" gingerbread house for the 2006 holiday season. Mesnier and his team decorated the gingerbread White House with more than 850 snowflakes and red bows made from royal icing.

This photograph shows a blown-sugar snowman created by White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Mesnier crafted many such snowmen to serve as centerpieces during the Bill Clinton administration. The snowman consisted of three sections made from blown-sugar and bound together with hot sugar.

This is a photograph of the 1993 official White House Gingerbread House that was dubbed the "House of Socks". It was created by White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier in honor of President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton's cat, Socks. The gingerbread house is a to-scale replica of White House complete with 20 marzipan versions of Socks playing around the house. The architectural details were created with carefully pipped icing and illuminated with working miniature floodlights.

In this photograph, taken by Shealah Craighead in 2006, pastry chefs including Mark Ramsdell (far left), former Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier (second from left), and Marlene Roudebush (far right) consult during the construction of their "Red and White" gingerbread house in the China Room. A table with a section of the wall and plans is visible in the foreground. Mesnier's career at the White House began in 1979. He retired in 2004 but returned at the request of First Lady Laura Welch Bush to create the "Red and White" gingerbread house for the 2006 holiday season. Mesnier and his team decorated the gingerbread White House with more than 850 snowflakes and red bows made from royal icing.

In this photograph, taken by Shealah Craighead, former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier (left) and assistant pastry chef Mark Ramsdell (right) work on assembling the 2006 Official White House Gingerbread House in the China Room. Ramsdell joined the White House pastry team in 1992, and worked alongside Mesnier as an assistant pastry chef in the White House Kitchen during the Bill Clinton and George W. Bush administrations. Mesnier retired in 2004, but returned at the request of First Lady Laura Welch Bush to create the "Red and White" gingerbread house for the 2006 holiday season. Mesnier and his team decorated the gingerbread White House with more than 850 snowflakes and red bows made from royal icing.

This photograph of chilled pasta salad made by chef Mathew Wendel was taken by Bruce White. Wendel served the dish at President George W. Bush’s Prairie Chapel Ranch near Crawford, Texas. Wendel became acquainted with the Bush family in 1995, while working at the Governor's Mansion in Austin, Texas, as a waiter-caterer with the Word of Mouth catering company. After Bush was elected president in 2000, Wendel prepared comforting meals for the first family during their trips to Camp David and during visits home to the Prairie Chapel Ranch near Crawford, Texas.

This photograph of chilled serrano honeydew melon soup prepared by chef Mathew Wendel was taken by Bruce White on October 29, 2020. Wendel served the dish at President George W. Bush’s Prairie Chapel Ranch near Crawford, Texas. Wendel became acquainted with the Bush family in 1995, while working at the Governor's Mansion in Austin, Texas, as a waiter-caterer with the Word of Mouth catering company. After Bush was elected president in 2000, Wendel prepared comforting meals for the first family during their trips to Camp David and during visits home to the Prairie Chapel Ranch.

This photograph of a cheese platter made by chef Mathew Wendel was taken by Bruce White on October 30, 2019. The platter was prepared by Wendel for his book, Recipes from the Ranch. Wendel became acquainted with President George W. Bush’s family in 1995, while working at the Governor's Mansion in Austin, Texas, as a waiter-caterer with the Word of Mouth catering company. After Bush was elected president in 2000, Wendel prepared comforting meals for the first family during their trips to Camp David and during visits home to the Prairie Chapel Ranch near Crawford, Texas.

This photograph of a cheese platter made by chef Mathew Wendel was taken by Bruce White on October 30, 2019. The platter was prepared by Wendel for his book, Recipes from the Ranch. Wendel became acquainted with President George W. Bush’s family in 1995, while working at the Governor's Mansion in Austin, Texas, as a waiter-caterer with the Word of Mouth catering company. After Bush was elected president in 2000, Wendel prepared comforting meals for the first family during their trips to Camp David and during visits home to the Prairie Chapel Ranch near Crawford, Texas.

This sweet and smokey cheeseburger prepared by chef Matthew Wendel was taken by Bruce White on October 30, 2019. First Lady Laura Bush liked the burgers to be prepared with toasted wheat bun, burger patties blended with barbeque sauce, and topped with extra sharp cheddar cheese. Wendel became acquainted with the Bush family in 1995, while working at the Governor's Mansion in Austin, Texas, as a waiter-caterer with the Word of Mouth catering company. After Bush was elected president in 2000, Wendel prepared comforting meals for the first family during their trips to Camp David and during visits home to the Prairie Chapel Ranch near Crawford, Texas.

This photograph of a blueberry pie prepared by chef Matthew Wendel was taken by Bruce White on October 30, 2019. Wendel became acquainted with President George Bush’s family in 1995, while working at the Governor's Mansion in Austin, Texas, as a waiter-caterer with the Word of Mouth catering company. After Bush was elected president in 2000, Wendel prepared comforting meals for the first family during their trips to Camp David and during visits home to the Prairie Chapel Ranch near Crawford, Texas.

This photograph of chicken and dumplings prepared by chef Matthew Wendel was taken by Bruce White on October 30, 2019. Wendel became acquainted with President George W. Bush‘s family in 1995, while working at the Governor's Mansion in Austin, Texas, as a waiter-caterer with the Word of Mouth catering company. After Bush was elected president in 2000, Wendel prepared comforting meals for the first family during their trips to Camp David and during visits home to the Prairie Chapel Ranch near Crawford, Texas.

This photograph of guacamole and tortilla chips prepared by chef Matthew Wendel was taken by Bruce White on October 30, 2019. Wendel became acquainted with President George W. Bush’s family in 1995, while working at the Governor's Mansion in Austin, Texas, as a waiter-caterer with the Word of Mouth catering company. After Bush was elected president in 2000, Wendel prepared comforting meals for the first family during their trips to Camp David and during visits home to the Prairie Chapel Ranch near Crawford, Texas.

This photograph of ingredients that chef Matthew Wendel used to prepare guacamole was taken by Bruce White on October 30, 2019. The ingredients include lemons, salt, pepper, avocado, cilantro, serrano chilies, and green onions. Wendel became acquainted with President George W. Bush‘S family in 1995, while working at the Governor's Mansion in Austin, Texas, as a waiter-caterer with the Word of Mouth catering company. After Bush was elected president in 2000, Wendel prepared comforting meals for the first family during their trips to Camp David and during visits home to the Prairie Chapel Ranch near Crawford, Texas.

The photograph of Velva’s hot rolls and soup prepared by chef Matthew Wendel, her son, was taken by Bruce White on October 30, 2019. Wendel used his mother's recipe to create the rolls and typically served them at Camp David and Prarie Chapel Ranch for special holidays. Wendel became acquainted with President George W. Bush’s family in 1995, while working at the Governor's Mansion in Austin, Texas, as a waiter-caterer with the Word of Mouth catering company. After Bush was elected president in 2000, Wendel prepared comforting meals for the first family during their trips to Camp David and during visits home to the Prairie Chapel Ranch near Crawford, Texas.