This included foods like hoecakes, as well as old-fashioned bacon. What Silent Cal liked best was a jelly roll filled with strawberry jam or currant jelly and covered with lemon icing. According to theU.S. National Archives, fried chicken was one of Harry Truman's favorite foods. The most They're also human, which means they have to eat. Before becoming president,Jimmy Carterspent some time running the family peanut farm. An anniversary ode to Nixon and his wife Pat goes so far as to commemorate the couple's midday meal preference in a rhyming couplet, "At lunchtime, they are quite easy to please, They just eat fruit and cold cottage cheese.". Learn More > 24/7. Adams, however, wanted to make it more accessible and so was responsible for planting various fruit trees at the White House during his time in office. While a first family cannot live on lemonade alone, Hayes was also pretty fond of corn. But that's what happens when you. Garfield was the second president to count squirrel as one of his favorite meals, which is nearly unheard of today. Arthur's meal of choice matched his facial hair style, as both were known as mutton chops. Other foods Polk liked included ham, Creole dishes, and French food (via Food Timeline). Unlike squirrels, which are still quite prolific, many sea turtles are now so scarce that they fall under the protection of the Endangered Species Act. It's estimated that President John Adams drank about Believe it or not, that we know of, the youngest born when he was 70 years old. From a 1925 account of Roosevelt's presidency called "Released for Publication," we learn that the president was even known to eat an entire chicken in one meal. According to The Miller Center, one of Cleveland's favorite foods was pickled herring, which is a popular dish in Scandinavia. Thomas Jefferson was not only a founding father but apparently a founding foodie. he was partial to a fried sweet rice dumpling known as calas tous chauds. Not one, but two presidents claim to have squirrel as a favorite dish. The sufficient reason, we'd say, to assume the man was fairly fond of fruit and may have been eating his recommended daily allowance years before the USDA existed to do the recommending. They are similar to beignets, which are also popular in the South. So what goes into this not-so-descriptively named dish? This dish was made with milk, rice, sugar, eggs, and spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. Ford was also a fan of other hearty American foods, including freshly baked bread, spare ribs, burgers, and ice cream. Haldeman noted in his diary that the president ate his curds and whey with pineapple, while presidential aide Stephen Bullsayshe ate them with ketchup. If something smelledrotten in the White House, it may not have just been a White Housescandal. First ladies have shared cookie recipes in the past, but they dont generally make them part of Thanksgiving dinner. It seems like something that might be made out of worn-out handkerchiefs and Long Johns with holes in the seat. So, what was Cleveland eating when he occupied/didn't occupy/re-occupied The White House? (McKinley being a Buckeye by birth), is made from potatoes and beets. Monroe also had a taste for French cuisine, which he likely picked up during his time as the U.S. Minister to France (via The History Chef). Fortunately, Lyndon B. Johnson used that power to instead install abutton that was dedicated to have an aide bring him some Fresca. Among the more innocuous facts on file about Richard Nixon is his habit of lunching on cottage cheese. Culinarily, Jackson may have been a man well ahead of his time. The Adamses most likely had their dinner in the middle of the day and the main course would often be a boiled dinner of meat and potatoes. The Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Librarycites Nesbitt as saying that the president's favorite foods were fish chowder, fruit cake, hot dogs, scrambled eggs, and grilled cheese sandwiches. Source: Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum. While we do not know his favorite Christmas carol, we think he might have had a certain fondness for "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" on account of the line "Oh, bring us some figgy pudding and bring it right here." Although it's hard to track down a lot of information on this, theU.S. National Archives does list "Herbert and Lou Hoover's Marshmallow Sweet Potatoes" as a White House Thanksgiving dish. The White House chef made sure the grits were prepared well, served hot, and mixed with plenty of butter and cheese. While Virginia calls itself "the mother of presidents" due to having been the birthplace of eight of our leaders, it's been a while since they've had one the Woodrow Wilson administration was the last one to be led by a son of the Old Dominion. Taft went on a diet in 1911, but it didn't seem to affect his weight much. Theodore Roosevelt is still pretty popular, It's fitting, then, that one of the foods he liked best is something nearly everyone still enjoys today. His wife reportedly loved to cook and likely introduced her presidential husband to a variety of foods throughout his life (via Food Timeline). Although it might sound a little bizarre, squirrel was a relatively common protein in the 1800s. Bush was also well known for his intense dislike of broccoli, apparently expressing during his presidency that he had disliked it since he was a child and refused to touch it in adulthood. Take a culinary trip around the world from your kitchen. After being promised Betty would be on camera as well, Ford agreed. For a cute story about one boy's search for his hero's favorite recipe, check out the 1969 children's classic ", The whole "eat local" movement is trendy these days, but back in John Adams' time, being a locavore was pretty much the norm. Like John Quincy Adams, he often opted for fruit when it came to dessert. That's certainly a character trait we can get behind. While Jefferson neither invented nor introduced ice cream, he was quite a fan, and at. Henry Haller, speaking with Gerald R. Ford Foundation in 2010, had nothing but nice things to say about the organization's eponym, although he did note that Ford presided over The White House at a rather difficult time. This could have been fitting for the many gatherings he held during his election campaign and his short time at the White House. When Old Hickory was in The White House, his state dinners, according to ", " combined haute cuisine with plainer fare more reflective of his Tennessee roots. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. He also shared a favorite food with many other Americans. LINK. Another of Fords favorite escapes is his 147,000-acre ranch, where he raises a herd of 3,500 cattle for market and also sells hunting trips. As there's no evidence that Obama ever returned to Ben's, we wouldn't go so far as to claim, likeBusiness Insider did, that the restaurant's signature chili half-smoke is among his favorite dishes. What is Gerald Fords favorite food? 0 0. says this humble dish even made its appearance at opulent state dinners, but according to D.C.-based journalist Emily Edson Briggs, Grant's banquet version was anything but plain. The wedding had been delayed until just before the 1948 House election because Ford was concerned conservative voters might take issue with marrying an ex-dancer who had already been divorced. ), As far as we are aware, Zachary Taylor is the only U.S. president to have been, Okay, there's no real proof that the cherries or milk he ate right before he died were the culprits, as it hasn't been possible to pinpoint an exact cause of death. Food, after all, is the great equalizer. His last words were even reportedly "the nourishment is palatable," referring to a bowl of soup he had just been fed (via The Independent). Our first president, George Washington, was known for many things and while he did like cherries, his favorite meal was actually a breakfast of hoecakes and honey, according to the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association. One of Harding's favorite foods was chicken pot pie made with chicken, vegetables, and a flaky pastry crust. Among his specialties was a beef stew made with a tomato-based broth and a pinch of cayenne pepper. ", Source: Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee, Food Wine. While George W. Bush, unlike his predecessor, wasn't known for frequenting fast food chains, he did enjoy homemade (or rather, White House chef-made) versions of what's typically considered junk food, with his favorite being cheeseburger pizza. Theodore Roosevelt is still pretty popular over a century after leaving office. However, that wasn't the only thing that had people raising their eyebrows. Still, Taylor would probably have been better off if he'd skipped the fruit and stuck to his favorite dessert instead. According to "Through Five Administrations," a book written by a former bodyguard to President Lincoln, he never stopped enjoying "things a growing farmer's boy would like." He probably didn't eat a great deal of it, though, since at 5' 4 and 100 pounds, he was. In July 2007, then-White House chef Cristeta Comerford revealed that President George W. Bush loves his"home-made cheeseburger pizzas," which is aMargherita pizza topped with minced meat, cheese, lettuce, and pickles (ew!). Like his predecessor and fellow Virginian James Madison, Wilson was very fond of Virginia country ham. Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president, was born in New York City in 1858. Immediately, his White House Press Secretary, J.F. Despite his efforts to stay healthy, several months later Polk would still succumb to the disease (through no fault of the ham, we're sure. When tabloids accused Britney Spears of eating squirrels while growing up, the, says they meant to demean her rather than to paint her as an Andrew Zimmern-style adventure eater. John Quincy Adams was the sixth president and son of President John Adams. Sensing the American public wanted someone less like the studious, humorless Nixon, he appeared on SNL and once pulled up a tablecloth next to Chase during a formal dinner in 1975. Mighty Networks, 2023. But that's what happens when you perform an autopsy 164 years post-mortem, reports the Courier Journal. From cheeseburger pizza to custard pie, these are some of thefavorite meals ofUS presidents. The former president also liked biscuits, chicken pot pie, and BLTs. President Gerald Ford's favorite food was a savory pot roast and butter pecan ice cream. As a Southerner born and bred, President Jimmy Carter loved his corn bread. His wife, too, was, for the nonalcoholic beverage she favored. Back in Chester A. Arthur's day, though, there was nothing this presidential gourmand liked better than a good turtle steak. He also liked seafood, of course, as befits a native New Englander. Precocious boy left alone in a large house stormed by burglars. PBS' ". " Still, one thing each of our leaders has had in common is that they've all liked to eat food. So proud of the recipe was he, though, that he submitted it to ", Turtle, like squirrels, is another 19th-century favorite that has fallen out of favor, although for entirely different reasons. He also enjoyed scrambled eggs, fish chowder, hot dogs, and fruitcakes. When tabloids accused Britney Spears of eating squirrels while growing up, the Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette says they meant to demean her rather than to paint her as an Andrew Zimmern-style adventure eater. In her memoir "Secrets of the White House," his housekeeper Elizabeth Jaffray remarks that even after adopting this diet, "somehow he really didn't take off any great amount of weight." Haller wasn't the only one to do the cooking, though. Benjamin Harrison was really into Christmas, to the point where he was the first president to set up a Christmas tree inside the White House. Mrs. Coolidge, he said, was a big fan of his veal curry, but the president had more of a sweet tooth. (Not Millard himself, though, or he would not have qualified for the presidency.) It's made with milk, cornmeal, flour, eggs, and baking soda and is usually served as a side dish. According to KARK, Mamie Eisenhower, the president's wife, used to make fudge that was so good, her husband submitted it as a recipe for a cookbook compiled by the Women's National Press Club in 1955. Terrapin with cornbread sticks. He even had a specialcup-holderdesigned for Air Force Oneso hisjarofJelly Belly beans wouldn'tspill during turbulence. He was known to have a sweet tooth and puddings were some of his favorite desserts, as perFood Timeline. Once his term in office was up, he and his wife traveled down the Mississippi by boat at a time when the South was in the grips of a cholera pandemic. H.R. quote: The program's all-time assists leader, White's four Coolidge was reportedly a big eater in general who wasn't picky about many foods. Thomas Jefferson was not only a founding father but apparently a founding foodie. James Monroe was yet another Virginia-born president,and it's to him or rather, to his cook that we may owe the Southern specialty known as spoonbread. On a trip to the headquarters for Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream in Columbus, Ohio in 2016, Biden stated, "My name is Joe Biden, and I love ice cream" (via The Hill). John F. Kennedy, born in Massachusetts, had a strong affinity for New England foods. The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library describes JFK as a "small eater," but when he did remember to eat, he seems to have been a meat and potatoes man. Among the more innocuous facts on file about Richard Nixon is his habit of lunching on cottage cheese. While Johnson was not one of the presidents he cooked for (these would be Ford, Clinton, and Bush the First), he tells, president's favorite in Johnson's hometown of Raleigh, North Carolina. Both women were charged with attempted murder and stood trial. Gerald Ford. According to Eat a Squirrel, this may not be the case, as James Garfield's own squirrel soup recipe seems to have predated his presidency and may have roots in his Ohio boyhood. Resurrection pie, according to "The Presidents' Cookbook," may have been a favorite dish of Millard Fillmore's due to the fact that it originated in the North of England, as did the Fillmore line. While George W. Bush, unlike his predecessor, wasn't known for frequenting fast food chains, he did enjoy homemade (or rather, White House chef-made) versions of what's typically considered junk food, with his favorite being cheeseburger pizza. Squirrel soup is typically made with squirrel meat, potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, and spices like thyme and pepper. He's not only the most recent of the "Rushmores," but is also a fan-favorite mascot with theWashington Nationals Racing Presidents. In her memoir ". spoonbread was born at Ash Lawn-Highland (home to Monroe, not Mason) when a dish of cornmeal mush was baked in the oven. Van Buren was born in New York but his family had Dutch roots, which may also explain his love of these mollusks (via Presidential Power). These Were The U.S. Presidents' Favorite Foods, Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library, Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library. According to Food Timeline, Harding also liked German foods such as sauerkraut and frankfurters, as well as scrambled eggs and corn muffins in the morning, served with what was hopefully metaphorical "gallons" of coffee. reveals that his nickname for 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue was the "Great White Jail." Once his term in office was up, he and his wife traveled down the Mississippi by boat at a time when the South was in the grips of a cholera pandemic. Other foods he often eats include meatloaf, bacon and eggs, cereal, steak, cookies, and potato chips. The cookbook says such pies are made from steak and liver, but Foods of England clarifies that they were originally made from whatever leftovers were available, thus "resurrecting" the food and giving the pie its name. All rights reserved. He also liked waffles with strawberries and sour cream. ", Barack Obama was quite the First Foodie while in office, frequenting restaurants all around the nation's capital. It's estimated that President John Adams drank about a gallon of cider every day, and even took barrels of it with him when he traveled. According to the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, the president enjoyed many other desserts, including apple and sugar cookies, both also made by Mamie. According to "American Cake," he was partial to a fried sweet rice dumpling known as calas tous chauds. 1:26. While some critics might maintain that gobbling jellybeans isn't the healthiest of habits, it's one Ronald Reagan adopted in his pre-presidential days in order to ditch an even worse one the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library says he was attempting to give up tobacco. Many liked the dish after trying it, even if the texture could be a little strange to newcomers. McDonald's was (and probably still is) Trump's favorite chain, and his favorite sandwich was the Filet-O-Fish. One restaurant that was particularly honored by his patronage was Ben's Chili Bowl, so much so that the owners, . James Madison may be the only president who ever had a line of snack cakes named after his wife, but he probably wasn't a huge devotee of sugary junk food, as there wasn't much of it available in the early 19th century. From squirrel soup to pork apple pie, here are some of the favorite foods of each U.S. president. He was known (and probably thanked) for bringing Texas barbecue to the White House during his time as president. He ranand wonwith George H.W. This last-named ingredient is common to all Hoppin' John recipes and is also what makes the dish a popular good-luck food on New Year's Day. Often referred to as Teddy Roosevelt, he later moved to North Dakota, where he became a rancher (via History). One of Roosevelt's favorite foods was fried chicken. The Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library cites Nesbitt as saying that the president's favorite foods were fish chowder, fruit cake, hot dogs, scrambled eggs, and Ford was willing to buck that trend in 1983 when he appeared on Dynasty, the ABC series about the wealthy Carrington family of Denver, Colorado. Eventually, the Secret Service was alerted to his absence and let him inside. While today bitter is better, back when Herbert Hoover occupied the Oval Office, sweet foods were very much en Vogue. According totheManuscripts Cookbooks Survey, Tyler pudding wasn't really a pudding, per se, but was nearly identical to the Southern staple we now know as chess pie. The 26-year-old Ford cavorted in the snow with Brown as part of a layout on winter vacationing. Famous chefs, including the easily-irritable Gordon Ramsay, havebeen known to criticize awell-done steak. Not so his private parties "Entertaining in the White House" relates how he would frequently invite his pals over for an evening of poker and bathtub gin (or more likely a private pre-Prohibition stash). OnceFirst Lady Mamie Eisenhower came out with her fudge recipe, it became a newfound favorite. Haller may have been good enough to make the haute cuisine necessary for formal occasions, but when you want smoked ribs done right, it's best to stick with a true pit master.