State Dinner MENU And PLACE SETTINGS (PHOTOS, POLL)

Previous administrations have served dishes like boiled mutton (the Washingtons), aspic (the Kennedys), hot dogs (the Roosevelts), and Grand Marnier soufflé (the Reagans)--read more about that here--and the Obamas' first state dinner will be similarly innovative.

Check out our State Dinner Big News page!

CBS White House Correspondent Mark Knoller reports that tonight's dinner, prepared by guest Chef Marcus Samuelsson and White House Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford, will feature Indian-inspired dishes. All the wines are American.

Potato and Eggplant Salad
White House Arugula w/ Onion Seed Vinaigrette
2008 Savingnon Blanc, Modus Operandi, Napa Valley

Red Lentil Soup w Fresh Cheese
2006 Riesling, Brooks "Ara", Wilamette Valley
Roast Potato Dumplings w Tomato Chutney
Chick Peas and Okra or Green Curry Prawns w caramelized Salsify w smoke Collard Greens and coconut aged basmati
2007 Granache Beckman Vineyards, Santa Ynez, CA

Pumpkin pie tart
Pear tatin
Whipped Cream and Caramel sauce
Sparkling Chardonnay, Thibaut Janisson Brut, Monticello, VA

Petits fours and Coffee
Cashew Brittle
Pecan Pralines
Passion fruit and vanilla gelees
Chocolate dipped fruit

Twitpics posted by Mark Knoller and courtesy of Frank Thorp of CBS News. What do you think? Scroll down to vote in a poll.

The tables:

The place settings:

The menu:

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What do you think of the state dinner place settings?

Love them! So pretty.

Hate 'em...the color gives me a migraine.

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Yuck.

Eh.

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Comments

[janie@atthelake]

03:42 PM on 11/25/2009

Looks like they choose to use Clinton's china.....which does look better than the rest with green.
http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/furnishings/china.htm

[myjs]

11:42 PM on 11/25/2009

They used several presidents' sets. There are not enough of one set to supply a large group.

[janie@atthelake]

12:47 PM on 11/26/2009

Didn't know that. Thanks... So, by the whitehouse web site, I guess the Kennedy's did not have a white house china. Right?

[chandu11]

12:49 AM on 11/25/2009

Considering that this is a state dinner, the food is quite modest - not only respecting the guest of honor but also the fact that this country is in bad shape economically. Our president is a class act. I don't feel on tenterhooks about being embarrassed as I did with Shrub.

[shirleyfeeney]

02:51 AM on 11/25/2009

totally agree with you.

[mamapower]

06:15 AM on 11/25/2009

Its a vegetarian menu.

[ajaye875]

09:09 AM on 11/25/2009

No, its not. They had an option to serve prawns.

[mssreader]

12:39 PM on 11/25/2009

How absolutely astute of you to notice this and to reveal your observation for the rest of us. Glad you woke up from your long sleep!

[USAwoman]

12:18 AM on 11/25/2009

Finally, we have a POTUS & FLOTUS with class and imagination. Previous state dinners sure looked boring. The Obamas took special care in welcoming their honored guests from India. The menu and decor was respectful of Indian culture.

To those who are critical of the Obamas hosting a state dinner (while they say that others do not have enough to eat), please remember that this is also part of President Obama's job. And on a cynical note, this is also another of Bush's failures (alienating the rest of the world) that President Obama is trying to mend.

[BocaMom]

11:50 PM on 11/24/2009

Very pretty! However, I would feel more excited if President Obama and Congress would worry a bit about the economy and our state's 17% unemployment! They are dining on fine China while Rome is burning. How disgusting.

[HKB]

09:06 AM on 11/25/2009

I don't think the President and members of Congress have forgotten about the economy just because they attended a state dinner for one night - a dinner honoring a major democratic country and allie - what would your prefer Boca Mom - spam and a can of corn on paper plates?

And the fine China used included sets of China that Bush bought - the Obamas have not pick out any official china.

[irisda]

12:48 PM on 11/25/2009

So taking one or two days to discuss an important ally means the economy and employment situation will just collapse? Just because the president is not in his seat? come on. One evening at a state dinner means he's uninterested? It means he does everything himself and there's absolutely no staff or advisors also working? You mean this administration doesn't multi task?

I wish y'all would give more credit to the government, as an entity.

[whiteconch]

09:18 PM on 11/24/2009

the classiest part of this whole occasion is how obama continues to demonstrate his class and diplomatic character to these world leaders, commanding their respect, in return....it's about time.
we can hold our heads high,,now,,,finally. dont think we'll have to worry about any shoe throwing anytime soon,..unless it's from a disrespecting tea hag ing type.

[mssreader]

09:08 PM on 11/24/2009

mmmm, I had red lentil soup tonight myself, dal, and it too was delicious and home made. Never thought of pairing it with cheese. Wonder what kind of cheese they served. Nice not to see all the meat and poultry on the menu as in years past. This menu about as vegetarian as you can get. Love it!

[lisa010]

10:05 PM on 11/26/2009

I bet paneer - a yummy indian cheese.

[boyoboy]

08:30 PM on 11/24/2009

I'm not a big fan of that color green, but I think overall the tables and settings look quite good. I love the china -- love all that beading.

[tel8034]

09:52 PM on 11/24/2009

The green table cloths pays homage to India's national bird .......... The Peacock.

[janie@atthelake]

03:41 PM on 11/25/2009

never thought of that....thanks

[boyoboy]

08:28 PM on 11/24/2009

I'm not a vegetarian, but I don't eat a lot of meat. I love greens, okra, and most veggies. The menu looks great to me.

[RButler]

08:27 PM on 11/24/2009

Putting aside the menu and table settings, I was surprised at how small and crowded the tables seemed. They seemed to be the same size as in some-one's home. I would have thought a state dinner would have more generous accommodations at the table.

[Belgian Beer]

08:15 PM on 11/24/2009

I wonder what W used to eat.

[AZterritory]

08:47 PM on 11/24/2009

Pretzels.

[mssreader]

08:53 PM on 11/24/2009

With Mexicana.

[swingerofbirches]

07:47 PM on 11/24/2009

wow a dinner i could actually eat (not choosing the shrimp option), usually at catered affairs i can never eat much because all the options include meat (and when i say meat, i mean animals, some people believe vegetarians eat chicken and fish, maybe some do, but none i know do)

[mssreader]

09:11 PM on 11/24/2009

Then you are probably a vegan. I'm always amused when I tell people I'm a vegetarian and they turn around and say, "but you eat chicken and fish". Meat is meat no matter the animal.

[FreeThinkn1]

09:15 PM on 11/24/2009

Vegetarians do not eat any animals (poultry, fish, and shellfish are indeed animals). Vegans obstain from eating animals and any products of animals like eggs, milk, or cheese. Peskatarians do not eat mammals but may eat poultry, fish, and shellfish.

[liberaler]

07:34 PM on 11/24/2009

Imagine! A White House dinner that is sensitive to the guests! FINALLY a vegetarian (or shrimp optional) dinner for a guest!

To everyone who's hee-yawing about the colors.....have you ever seen an Indian celebration? If they did understated white, it would seem like a dull affair to ghe guests.

[sunny55]

07:34 PM on 11/24/2009

The wines look more exciting than the food! Gonna be a lot of tipsies after this meal.

[Roxanna]

07:32 PM on 11/24/2009

I think this state dinner is not too exciting when you think that one in 7 American households struggle to put food on the table and that 16.7 million children were classified as not having enough food in the U.S.

Afghanistan now holds the world record for having the highes infant mortality rate.70 percent of all Afghan children do not have safe drinking water. Exactly what are we winning?

When you hear those numbers and you see the state dinners... something is terribly wrong

[sski74]

07:55 PM on 11/24/2009

State dinners have been a tradition hosted by every American President, through all economic conditions. Plus, India is one of the poorest countries on the planet - should we chastise the guests for eating and being honored at the state dinner? Gotta let it go....

[AZterritory]

08:48 PM on 11/24/2009

Didn't see ol' W cutting back any, and he as a 'good' Chrstian would have said "The poor will be with us always." Thank dog that W's not.

[irisda]

12:57 PM on 11/25/2009

So not having state dinners and staying at home is going to save the world. Great! Engaging with India and doing all this protocol stuff actually helps because they're close to pakistan and they're allies when it comes to counter terrorists. This is how diplomacy works. Look at the menu and the way this state dinner has been carried out. It could have been way more costly. But the tent already belongs the white house and has been reused before. The food doesn't incluse expensive and out of reach ingredients. Actually a number of them are grown on the white house grounds. The dinnerware is owned by the white house and has been used by 3 different administration. The first couple buy their own clothes. There is a yearly budget set for these kind of events. They made a great diplomatic statement by useing resources wisely. This is what you do on a recession.

Some of the responses baffle me. These state dinners and meetings are important. Don't think for a second that nothing is going in the background. Also there is a reason they invite other people. The networking actually produces business and economic opportunities that might actually bring the jobs you are seeking. Please think beyong the obvious.

[middleofthemiddle]

07:30 PM on 11/24/2009

Hmmmm Tomato Chutney. Hai Baghvan, to have a masala dosa from Indra Dharshini in B'lore.

[lisa010]

08:09 PM on 11/24/2009

YUMMMYYYY!!!!

[middleofthemiddle]

08:19 PM on 11/24/2009

Dhai Bhatata from the roadside dhabas damn I'm hungry