Tuesday, Nov. 03, 2009

White House chef used creative accessories to help create gingerbread houses

Now retired, White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier kept the executive mansion kitchen stocked with such items as feathers (perfect for making icing look like marble), wood-grain rubber stamps (to make chocolate trees), modeling clay (for a chocolate mold of a former President, perhaps?), and brake line pipe (ideal for blowing sugar into creations mimicking the finest blown glass).

In 1993, he carefully construct the White House in gingerbread. In all, nearly 200 hours were devoted to designing and building the house, with 40 hours dedicated to construction alone. With chocolate gluing together some 120 pounds of gingerbread, the entire house was completely edible and had to be carried into the State Dining Room by six people.

-- Holiday newsletter from the Clinton White House archives

White House Ginger Cookies

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder (rounded)

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 large tablespoon solid shortening

6 teaspoons butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg (or 2 if small)

1/2 cup molasses

Additional sugar, as garnish

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Sift together dry ingredients including spices.

Cream shortening and butter until fluffy. Add sugar slowly, then egg and molasses, and beat thoroughly.

Stir in dry ingredients all at once.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls (the size of a walnut) and roll into sugar spread on waxed paper.

Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets, flatten with fingers, and sprinkle colored sugar on tops of cookies.

Bake 7 minutes.

Let stand a minute before removing from sheets.