Detail of the 2006 "Red and White" Gingerbread House

This photograph was taken by Shealah Craighead in 2006. It shows a close-up of the "Red and White" gingerbread house, with details including snowflakes and red bows made from royal icing. The gingerbread house was modeled after the White House and included architectural details such as the grand, arched windows of the East and West Sitting Halls. Construction was overseen by former Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. 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.