In this photograph by Ralph Alswang, the White House pastry team poses in the State Dining Room with dessert ready to be served at the NATO summit dinner hosted on April 23, 1999. The dinner commemorated the 50th anniversary of the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty (NATO). The desserts consisted of blue sugar stands that held domes of strawberry nougat glace. Each was decorated with hand-painted sugar flags for each country in attendance and garnished with sliced strawberry and kiwi. Accompanying the main desserts were a champagne sabayon, chocolate globe truffles, and passion fruit tuiles. Among the staff pictured are Susan "Susie" E. Morrison (far left), assistant pastry chef Franette McCulloch (second from right), and White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier (far right). This photograph is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for the White House from 1980 to 2004.

In this photograph by Ralph Alswang, a member of the pastry team helps White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier place a strawberry nougat glace on a sugar stand. The dessert was served at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Summit dinner hosted on April 23, 1999. The dinner commemorated the 50th anniversary of the signing of NATO. The desserts consisted of blue sugar stands that held domes of strawberry nougat glace. Each dessert was decorated with hand-painted sugar flags for each country in attendance and garnished with sliced strawberry and kiwi. Accompanying the main desserts were a champagne sabayon, chocolate globe truffles, and passion fruit tuiles. Other pastry staff members pictured include Susan "Susie" E. Morrison (second from left) and assistant pastry chef Franette McCulloch (second from right). This photograph is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for the White House from 1980 to 2004.

In this photograph by Ralph Alswang, White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier blows sugar for an Easter display on April 8, 1993. Chef Mesnier used sugar techniques to make the decorations for many of the desserts he served at events, holidays, and family celebrations, including blown-sugar, pulled-sugar, and spun-sugar. This photograph is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for the White House from 1980 to 2004.

In this photograph by Ralph Alswang, White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier blows sugar for an Easter display on April 8, 1993. Chef Mesnier used sugar techniques to make the decorations for many of the desserts he served at events, holidays, and family celebrations, including blown-sugar, pulled-sugar, and spun-sugar. This photograph is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for the White House from 1980 to 2004.

In this photograph by Ralph Alswang, White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier works on a blown-sugar egg for an Easter display on April 8, 1993. Chef Mesnier used sugar techniques to make the decorations for many of the desserts he served at events, holidays, and family celebrations, including blown-sugar, pulled-sugar, and spun-sugar. This photograph is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for the White House from 1980 to 2004.

In this photograph by Ralph Alswang, White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier works on a blown-sugar egg for an Easter display on April 8, 1993. Chef Mesnier used sugar techniques to make the decorations for many of the desserts he served at events, holidays, and family celebrations, including blown-sugar, pulled-sugar, and spun-sugar. This photograph is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for the White House from 1980 to 2004.

In this photograph by Ralph Alswang, White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier works on a blown sugar egg for an Easter display on April 8, 1993. Chef Mesnier used sugar techniques to make the decorations for many of the desserts he served at events, holidays, and family celebrations, including blown-sugar, pulled-sugar, and spun-sugar. This photograph is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for the White House from 1980 to 2004.

In this photograph by Ralph Alswang, White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier blows sugar for an Easter display on April 8, 1993. Chef Mesnier used sugar techniques to make the decorations for many of the desserts he served at events, holidays, and family celebrations, including blown-sugar, pulled-sugar, and spun-sugar. This photograph is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for the White House from 1980 to 2004.

This chocolate Easter bunny, photographed by Ralph Alswang, was created by White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier for Easter in 1993. In the basket carried on the chocolate bunny's back is a blown-sugar egg. Easter was one of Chef Mesnier's favorite holidays. During the Clinton administration, when this chocolate bunny was made, he worked to make his chocolate Easter display more impressive each year to bring joy to President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton who especially enjoyed his creations. This photograph is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for the White House from 1980 to 2004.

This "Topiary Valencia" dessert, photographed by Ralph Alswang, was made by White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier for a State Dinner honoring King Juan Carlos I of Spain and Queen Sofía, consort of the king. The dinner was hosted by President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton on February 23, 2000. Inspired by Spain's citrus fruits, Chef Mesnier molded fruit shaped orange, clementine, lemon, and lime sorbets, each filled with a different mousse. The sorbet fruits, along with marzipan roses and crystallized violets, were held in chocolate boxes bearing the emblem of the King of Spain. Each display of fruit was topped with a pulled-sugar orange blossom branch and surrounded by fresh kumquats and raspberries. For the full menu from this State Dinner, see 1140936. This photograph is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for the White House from 1980 to 2004.

These "Topiary Valencia" desserts, photographed by Ralph Alswang, were made by former Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier for a State Dinner honoring King Juan Carlos I of Spain and Queen Sofía, consort of the king. The dinner was hosted by President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton on February 23, 2000. Inspired by Spain's citrus fruits, Chef Mesnier molded fruit shaped orange, clementine, lemon, and lime sorbets, each filled with a different mousse. The sorbet fruits, along with marzipan roses and crystallized violets, were held in chocolate boxes bearing the emblem of the King of Spain. Each display of fruit was topped with a pulled-sugar orange blossom branch and surrounded by fresh kumquats and raspberries. For the full menu from this State Dinner, see 1140936. This photograph is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for the White House from 1980 to 2004.

In this photograph by Ralph Alswang, President Bill Clinton accepts a gift from Taoiseach John Bruton of Ireland on March 17, 1995. The gift, a crystal bowl of shamrocks, was exchanged in the Roosevelt Room in the West Wing in honor of St. Patrick's Day. Bruton served as taoiseach, or prime minister, from 1994 to 1997.

In this photograph by Ralph Alswang, President Bill Clinton is presented with a commemorative jersey by members of the United States Women's National Soccer team on July 27, 1999. President Clinton welcomed the team at a South Lawn ceremony following their FIFA Women's World Cup victory earlier that month. Players Julie Foudy and Carla Overbeck presented President Clinton with a jersey with the number "99" on the back in honor of their championship year. The United States also hosted the tournament the month-long tournament. It was the women team's second World Cup championship since the tournament began in 1991.

In this photograph by Ralph Alswang, President Bill Clinton practices his soccer skills in front of soccer superstar Pelé on October 15, 1997. The soccer display took place following a speech by President Clinton at the Vila Olímpica da Mangueira School in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, a stop on an extensive tour Clinton took of South America. Born Edson Arantes do Nascimento, Pelé was at the time serving as Brazil's first minister of sports.

In this photograph, taken on December 17, 1998, Eunice Kennedy Shriver speaks during a White House dinner hosted on the South Grounds by President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton in support of the 30th anniversary of the Special Olympics. Shriver, sister of former President John F. Kennedy, founded the Special Olympics to honor the legacy of their sister, Rosemary Kennedy. The entertainment portion of the dinner was hosted by actress and comedian Whoopi Goldberg and included performances of holiday favorites by popular performers including Jon Bon Jovi, Mary J. Blige, Sheryl Crow, Vanessa Williams, Run-D.M.C., Eric Clapton, Tracy Chapman, and John Popper.

This photograph of First Lady Hillary Clinton in the Yellow Oval Room of the White House was taken by Ralph Alswang in July 1998, during a baby shower that the first lady hosted for Mandy Grunwald, one of her advisors. Grunwald appears in the photograph between Mrs. Clinton and White House Social Secretary Capricia Marshall.

This photograph of First Lady Hillary Clinton watching student performers from Ramapo High School in the White House Diplomatic Reception Room was taken in the 1990s, during Bill Clinton's presidency.

This photograph of First Lady Hillary Clinton and members of her staff in the Old Executive Office Building was taken by Ralph Alswang in June 1997. Clinton staff members Melanne Verveer, Ann Stock, Capricia Marshall, Kelly Craighead, Alice Pushkar, and others appear in the photograph.

This photograph of President Bill Clinton posing with residence staff, including Special Assistant to the First Lady Capricia Marshall on the far left, was taken by Ralph Alswang in December 1995. The group posed for the photograph in the White House Diplomatic Reception Room during a staff Christmas party.

This is a photograph of the Christmas decorations in the State Dining room taken on December 16, 1998, by White House photographer Ralph Aswang. The edible gifts and packages on display were created by renowned cake decorator Collette Peters. The theme for holiday decorations for that year was "Winter Wonderland."