White House turns green and gold for Scott Morrison’s state dinner

The White House’s Rose Garden will be a pageant of green and gold at Saturday’s state dinner.

A table in the Rose Garden and a menu for the State Dinner. Picture: Cameron Stewart.

The White House will still be white but its famous Rose Garden will be a pageant of green and gold at Saturday’s (AEST) gala state dinner which Donald Trump will host for Scott Morrison.

The office of the First Lady Melania Trump says she has “carefully selected” the decor for the first state dinner for an Australian prime minister since 2006 so that it will “reflect the strong ties” between the two nations.

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“The colours chosen for this visit are green and gold, which are the Australian national colours,’ her office says.

A sneak peek of the beautiful table settings in the White House Rose Garden for tomorrow night’s state dinner ⁦@realDonaldTrump⁩ is throwing for ⁦@ScottMorrisonMP⁩ pic.twitter.com/xPid55SxAc

— Miranda Devine (@mirandadevine) September 20, 2019

Mrs Trump says the menu for the evening will “pay homage to Australia’s special blend of culinary adaptations from its various cultures, not unlike the diverse food traditions of the United States.”

A table set for the state dinner. Picture; Cameron Stewart.

Donald Trump's place setting for the dinner. Picture: Cameron Stewart.

The 100 or so guests will dine on Sunchoke ravioli, followed by Dover Sole with ‘an American classic’ dessert of apple pie and ice cream, dressed up in the more fancy description of “Lady Apple Tart with Calvados Ice Cream.”

These will be washed down with a Spring Mountain sauvignon blanc 2017 from the Napa Valley known for its “bright floral aromas.”

Red lovers can have the Argyle pinot noir “Reserve” 2016 from Australia described as having “light and lively red fruit notes of cherry and raspberry.”

Press Preview of the Trump Administration’s State Dinner with Australia in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, DC on September 19, 2019 pic.twitter.com/m1Pep0n2aQ

— Kyle Mazza (@KyleMazzaWUNF) September 20, 2019

Golden champagne grapes will be placed on the tables “highlighting the richness of each of the countries’ wine industries.”

And then there is the china, which the First Lady says will be a bipartisan selection consisting of alternating patterns “from the administrations of Presidents William J. Clinton and George W. Bush.”

The dominant colour theme of green and gold will be created by gold woven baskets which will be filled with yellow garden roses as well as the green foliage of Australia’s golden wattle.

Even the table linens will be “ombre shades of yellows and greens” while gold oil lamps will illuminate the evening for the leading luminaries of the two nations.

The centrepiece of the dinner will be no less than 2,500 roses from California in shades of yellow as well as Australian wattle.

Entertainment will be delivered by what Mrs Trump says is “the largest gathering of premier military musicians for a State Dinner at the White House” with eight different ensembles.

State Dinner menu

First Course

Sunchoke Ravioli

Reggiano Cream

Shaved Summer Vegetables

Main Course

Dover Sole with Parsley Crisps

Zucchini Squash Blossoms

Fennel Mousseline

Baby Garlic Rouille

Dessert

Lady Apple Tart

Calvados Ice Cream