CAPITAL CULTURE: 60 Years of US Meals for India

In the history of U.S.-India relations, there's been plenty of broken bread and even a few crumbled Triscuits.

President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India walk down the Cross Hall during a State Arrival ceremony in the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009 in Washington. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

(AP)

American presidents have entertained India's leaders over fine wine and even finer food for the past 60 years — at grand White House dinners with hundreds of guests in black-tie, at an intimate Sunday lunch and away from Washington's prying eyes near a storied Civil War battlefield.

With his first White House state dinner on Tuesday, President Barack Obama is putting his stamp on the tradition the White House uses to honor foreign leaders.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is coming for a state visit and all that it entails — a pomp-filled welcome ceremony that was brought inside the White House because of rainy weather, private time with Obama, a joint news conference and, in the evening, the state dinner, to be held outside for 320 people.

First lady Michelle Obama gave an afternoon preview of what's sure to be Washington's hottest social event since the inauguration. Even the smallest details were fraught with symbolism. For her preview appearance, for example, the first lady wore a skirt by Rachel Roy, who is Indian.

Guests were to dine at tables for 10 in a huge tent on the South Lawn, its walls decorated with magnolia branches, which are native both to India and the United States.

The deep purple flower arrangements were designed to pay homage to the state bird of India, the peacock.

The service plates used for the dinner were purchased in the tenure of Dwight Eisenhower, the first president to visit India after its independence.

The entertainment lineup was topped by Oscar-winners Jennifer Hudson and A.R. Rahman, two of the top performers from contemporary American and Indian music. Hudson won an Academy Award for her role in "Dreamgirls"; Rahman won two for the music in "Slumdog Millionaire."

The first lady brought in award-winning chef Marcus Samuelsson of Aquavit, a Scandinavian restaurant in New York City, to help the White House kitchen staff prepare the largely vegetarian meal. The culinary lineup included potato and egg plant salad, red lentil soup, and roasted potato dumplings or green curry prawns.