Even Commanders in Chief Crave Comfort Food
by Kirsten Harrington
They may live in the most famous house in the country, dine with royalty from afar, and jet across the world in Air Force One, but when it comes to food preferences, U.S. presidents are just like the rest of us. Each one has a favorite comfort food or snack for which he is known. President Donald Trump has a penchant for potato chips (specifically Lay’s brand), former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt loved a great grilled cheese, and who can forget former President Ronald Reagan’s love of jelly beans? According to the Smithsonian archives, George Washington had only one original tooth left when he took office as a result of using his pearly whites to crack walnuts, one of his best-loved snacks. While Michelle and Barack Obama are remembered for plucking produce from their own garden and promoting healthy eating habits, George W. Bush may be remembered for indulging in cheeseburger pizzas. We have Thomas Jefferson to thank in part for the popularity of macaroni and cheese, for he discovered this tubular pasta served with Parmesan while in Europe and later served a “macaroni pie” at a state dinner.
With Presidents Day just around the corner, why not use the holiday as an excuse to try something new? You might learn a few fun facts about history and find a new dish for the dinner table in the process. Just because you don’t have access to your own personal chef doesn’t mean you cannot eat presidentially. Here are a few favorites of past commanders in chief to get you inspired:
Former President Kennedy’s New England Fish Chowder
According to presidential archives, a young woman wrote a letter to John F. Kennedy asking him what he liked to eat. He advised his secretary to reply with this recipe for his favorite soup:
Ingredients:
2 pounds haddock
2 ounces salt pork, diced
2 onions, sliced
4 large potatoes, diced
1 cup celery, chopped
1 bay leaf, crumbled
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 quart milk
2 tablespoons butter
Method:
Put the haddock in a soup pot with 2 cups of water and simmer for 15 minutes. Drain, reserving the broth. Remove any bones from the fish and set fish aside. Sauté the salt pork in the soup pot until crisp. With a slotted spoon, remove the pork and set aside. Sauté the onions in the pork fat until golden brown. Add the fish, potatoes, celery, bay leaf, salt and pepper to taste. Pour in the reserved fish broth plus enough boiling water to make 3 cups liquid. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add the milk and butter, and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve the chowder sprinkled with the diced pork.
Mamie’s Million Dollar Fudge
Treat yourself with a dessert from the recipe book of Mamie Eisenhower, wife of former President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Former President Dwight D. Eisenhower was known for his vegetable soup recipe, which was often requested by the public and reprinted in various newspapers; however, it was his wife’s famous fudge that still enjoys a following today.
Ingredients:
4 1/2 cups sugar
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
12 ounces semisweet chocolate
12 ounces German sweet chocolate
1 pint marshmallow cream
2 cups chopped nuts (optional)
Method:
Boil the sugar, salt, butter and evaporated milk together for six minutes. Put the chocolate, marshmallow cream and nuts in a bowl. Pour the boiling syrup over the ingredients, and beat until the chocolate is melted. Pour into a 15 1/2-inch by 10 1/2-inch by 1-inch jelly roll pan sprayed with cooking spray. Let it stand a few hours before cutting into 1-inch squares. ♥