Gingerbread iterations of collapsed cranes and robotic houses are cute and all, but arguably there's no feat of flour and sugar quite like the White House Gingerbread House, which was codified as an annual tradition during the Nixon Administration and is now viewed by tens of thousands of people each year. The 2012 version, just unveiled, weighs 300 pounds and features tiny crystal chandeliers and chocolate furniture (seen through the windows), working lights, and Santa's sleigh on the roof. This is the fourth such undertaking for the current White House executive pastry chef, who used 175 pounds of gingerbread, 50 pounds of white chocolate, plus rye, buckwheat, and whole wheat flour to replicate the home's Neoclassical and Palladian architectural details, including its columns. And while façade's most unusual milky gray/cream was specially mixed to match the White House's original color—it was painted bright white in 1798—not everything was taken so seriously: "We switched the rooms around a little bit, we took some liberties," says the pastry chef. Naturally, there's a miniature version of the First Lady's kitchen garden and marzipan version of the Obamas' pet dog, Bo. That guy's everywhere these days!
· [Obama Foodorama via Curbed DC]
· Tour the White House Holiday Decorations With Bo Obama [Curbed National]
· All Gingerbread Houses coverage [Curbed National]