Which US President Would Make The Best eGulleteer?

[sml311]

I think Teddy Roosevelt would've had fun in the Adventures in Eating board and the regional boards. ("Looking for recs in the Amazon...") The video (errr, news reel) of him holding the whole pork leg in the water to be devoured by pirhannas still cracks me up.

BTW--A close friend works for Clinton in Harlem...maybe he can find out if the big guy lurks....hehe.

As far as other politicians...I vote for Henry Clay. That guy knew his bourbon.

SML

edit: I'd like to note I haven't read the article...refuse to register for the Times online. It's something akin to Grandpa Simpson yelling at the cloud in the sky.

Edited March 20, 2004 by sml311 (log)

[ludja]

Although it is not exactly on topic, had seen this before and thought it interesting. Here are some recent state dinners for current admin.; the link has other info such as guests, table settings, entertainment, etc.

gw bush state dinners

Mexico State Dinner September 5, 2001

Maryland Crab and Chorizo Pozole

Summer Vegetables

Mi Sueno Chardonnay "Caneros" 1999

Pepita Crusted Bison

Poblano Whipped Potatoes

Fava Bean and Chanterelle Ragout

Apple Chipotle Sauce

Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon "Hillside Select" 1994

Salad of Gold and Red Tomatoes

Mache and Micro Greens

Sherry Dressing

Mango and Coconut Ice Cream Dome

Peaches

Red Chile Pepper Sauce Tequila Sabayon

Schramsberg "Cremant" 1997

Poland State Visit July 17, 2002

Lemon-Basil Seared Striped Bass

Artichokes and Young Squash

Roasted Golden Tomato Sauce

Robert Pecota Sauvignon Blanc 2000

Pepper Smoked Beef Filet

Fresh Corn Polenta

Grilled Portobella Mushroom and Summer Vegetables

BBQ Shallot Sauce

Stags Leap Wine Cellars "Fay Vineyard" Cabernet 1998

Orange and Avocado Salad

Crispy Potato Tartine

Cilantro Dressing

Peaches and Cherries

Ginger Almond Ice Cream

Assorted Cookies

Bonny Doon Muscat "Vin Glaciere" 2000

Phillipines State Dinner May 2003

Maine Dayboat Scallops

Brandade of Smoked Trout and

Maryland Crabs

Vine-ripened Tomato Gazpacho

Bellewether Farm Lamb

Red Wine Reduction

Achiote Polenta

Fresh Fava Beans, Morels, and

Braised Cipollini Onion

Du MOL Pinot Noir "Finn" 2000

Avocado, Tomato, and Goat's

Cheese Terrine

Spring Greens

Candied Pepitas Calamansi Dressing

Mango Coconut Lei

Baked Pineapple with Sesame Crumb

Assorted Cookies

Schramsberg Cremant 1999

Kenya State Dinner Oct 6, 2003

Roasted Rack of Lamb

Wild Mushrooms and Armagnac Sauce

Sweet Potato Flan

Autumn Vegetables

Soter Pinot Noir "Beacon Hill"

Avocado and Heirloom Tomato Salad

Toasted Cumin Dressing

"Best of Kenya"

Arabica Ice Cream and Coffee

Liquor Parfait

Caramelized Banana and Pineapple

Honig Sauvignon Blanc "Late Harvest" 2002

[docsconz]

One of the many reasons I chose UVA for my residency was that my wife and I fell in love with Monticello and Charlottesville when we visited for an interview. Monticello is the most incredible historic site I have visited in this country. it provides a real feel for Mr. Jefferson and the multivariate aspects of his life, not the least of which were his agricultural and culinary interests.

I extend a virtual hand-shake to you...

And back to you

[JennyUptown]

Shouldn't this be shared with the rest of EG under General Food Topics?

[Mayhaw Man]

I find it interesting that GW isn't serving a Texas wine or two at state dinners. Maybe he has at other times.

[wesza]

I feel that "Clinton" should be included into our President's list.

Any President who takes his stomach and other appetites into consideration, especially a newby New Yorker smart enough to locate his office in Harlem, close to the foods dear to his heart deserves the allocate.

We also must take into consideration his study of "Herb's" during his tenure at Oxford, plus many trips to France. With stops in Amsterdam ?

I would like to give fellow eGulleters a one up about the evolution of a French Chef into the White House. Yes it's true "Pepin", was offered the position and turned it down, since Howard Johnson's was paying much more and was sure to last more then a few years. The selection of Chef's had been passed on to Joe Baum, Albert Stockli and Roger France from Restaurant Associates and the "Four Seasons" Restaurant specifically by the White House via Mrs Kennedy.

I'm glad things occurred as they did, since "Peppin's" Cookbooks are the best illustrated cooking guides till today available. Some of the best Food TV Shows as well.

The areas around the "Johnson Ranch" in Texas offer some of Americas finest Bavarian Style Smoked Meats and Sausages. This whole part of Texas is certainly one of the most pretty lush areas in the Southwest. What really surprised me was the fact that it was at that time the only place I had ever come across 24 hour refrigerated vending machines selling "Worms" for fishing bait.

We also must consider the association of the ACI being located in Hyde Park where the Roosevelt's had their estate. I'm not sure about what their eating habit's were but I've heard that his Uncle Teddy's were quite sophisticated so I'll add "Teddy Roosevelt" to my list.

Irwin

[Mayhaw Man]

Pan,

I sourced this several ways, but in the process I would like to reccomend Doris Kearns Goodwin's wonderful book about the Roosevelt's in wartime Washington, " No Ordinary Time". Goodwin is a first rate historian, an engaging writer, and made a little history in her own right as an aide to LBJ (he called her "Harvard"-among other things )

I found several sources that pretty much restated what I had said in the above post-FDR was a serious foodie and Eleanor was perfectly happy with 3 veg and boiled meat.

The White House food service was indeed awful while he was there, under the supervision of a Mrs. Nesbitt. According to Kearns she served the same food over and over again and FDR wanted to fire her, but Eleanor would not let him. Mrs Roosevelt had originally hired he as a young woman to work in the kitchen at Hyde Park (Eleanor literally never scrambled an egg-she did not cook at all-ever) and refused to bag her.

Try this menu on for size (this is from roughly 1942)-

Monday-Tongue with Caper Sauce

Tuesday- Boiled Beef

Wednesday- Roasted Beef with Mashed Potatoes

The general impression that people got after spending any time in the WHite House was that the food was dull and tasteless-not to mention overdone.

THere are many internal White House documents that stil exist documenting Roosevelt's inability to get a decent meal and Mrs. Nesbitt's absolute indifference to the President.

Among his favorite dishes (that he had to eat elsewhere) were oysters, crabs, country cheeses (the odder the better), peach cobbler, quail and pheasant served very rare, rare beef.

[Pan]

Thanks, Brooks.

I recall reading that Harding, the first U.S. president during Prohibition, was in fact a big drinker. Anyone know what he ate with his beers?

[laniloa]

When I lived in Hawaii, Clinton caused a major traffic jam when he stopped into Zippy's for a plate lunch. Zippy's is Hawaiian style fast food. While I thought it was cool that he wanted to experience full range of cuisine, everyone knows L&L Drive In is better then Zippy's and if you want best plate lunch, get it from a lunch truck.

[doctoro]

I remember when Clinton was first elected he would go jogging and

stop at McDonalds, then when Bush was first elected he sparked an

onslaught od BBQ openings. I doubt if Either offer much in culinary expertise

but Clinton must have opted to go kosher, while Bush is eating alot of crow!

The Doctor Is Out!

Clinton did dine out often sometimes at Filemenas in Georgetown.

Also went to Chinatown.

[JPW]

While Billy-boy Clinton was a large man, he had nothing on President and Chief Justice Taft. Taft weighed well over 300 pounds in his prime eating years. I'd love to see one of his menus.

[JRage]

During Reagan's administration the biggest foodie news was that he liked jelly beans.

Didn't Bush (senior) make major waves because he said that he didn't like broccoli?

One of my takeaways from an impressionable tour of Monticello...

Thomas Jefferson was so into meals that he essentially invented the dumbwaiter so that he could continue to be served food and wine without having to interupt interesting or politically sensitive conversations. A man after my own heart...

[NeroW]

Can you imagine what kind of budget the White House's chef must have? Holy shit!

[Mayhaw Man]

While Billy-boy Clinton was a large man, he had nothing on President and Chief Justice Taft. Taft weighed well over 300 pounds in his prime eating years. I'd love to see one of his menus.

Taft was such a large guy that they actually had to swap out the presidential bathtub. He kept having to call someone to help him out of the one that was there when he moved in.

[KatieLoeb]

Can you imagine what kind of budget the White House's chef must have? Holy shit!

I just want their wine budget to play with! I'd love to have an unlimited budget to pair wines for those fabulous state dinners. How much fun could that be?

Actually I think it was the Reagans who first began serving domestic sparkling wine from Iron Horse rather than Champagne for their meetings with Gorbachev. The Bush and Clinton administrations followed suit. Don't know if it was a budgetary issue or not (I doubt it). I think they just wanted to showcase some California sparkling for their heads-of-state guests.

Dos anyone know who the official White House sommelier is? Does the Executive Chef choose the wines or what? Curious as to how that works within the White House, both for State dinners and within the residence.

[Helena Robinson]

Actually, with the exception of dinner wine, the White House was pretty much dry during the Carter Administration.

As far as food goes there was the corpulent Chester A. Arthur. I don't know if the guy was a gourmet, but he sure liked to eat.

I'll use these quotes to atart my comments on this fun topic.

Chester Arthur??? You shure you're not confuing him with William Howard Taft, the largest President? Never read anything specific about his eating habits, but he reportedly got stuck in the White House bathtub once.

While Carter's White House was probably dry, at least they served wine with dinner. Remember "Lemonade Lucy" Hayes - no liquor at all. (BTW, she introduced the Easter Egg Roll event.)

And while Dubya is including wine on the menus, he doesn't drink alcohol, having sowrn off the stuff several years before he ran for president. Oh yes, I understand he supports his father's position on broccoli. Hillary mentions in her book that one of the first things she did when the Clintons moved into the White House was to put brocoli back on the menu.

And, speaking of FDR, he was also the one who served hot dogs to the Windsors.

[NeroW]

You shure you're not confuing him with William Howard Taft, the largest President? Never read anything specific about his eating habits, but he reportedly got stuck in the White House bathtub once.

Yeah, Taft. That's who I was going to say but I couldn't remember his name. Thanks.

Now I can say "William H. Taft" instead of "that-one-dude-who-got-stuck-in-the-tub."

[Mabelline]

There's another First Lady and President we've overlooked. For grace, poise, and excellent fare, I think Dolly Madison should be up there as the Jacqueline of her day. By all accounts she was quite emphatic in her standards. Beside serving the first ice cream.

[slbunge]

Although it is not exactly on topic, had seen this before and thought it interesting.  Here are some recent state dinners for current admin.; the link has other info such as guests, table settings, entertainment, etc.

Also not exactly on topic...

Is there anyone that has an 'in' with the food staff over at the whitehouse? Might be a fun Q&A. Wonder if the secret service would have to approve.

Edited March 23, 2004 by slbunge (log)

[Mayhaw Man]

Chester Arthur??? You shure you're not confuing him with William Howard Taft, the largest President? Never read anything specific about his eating habits, but he reportedly got stuck in the White House bathtub once.

DOH!

Although I seem to have gained my senses several posts later. I don't know where that Arthur reference came from (actually the reference came from my keyboard and Arthur came from Vermont).

I will quit while I am ahead. Stop me before I type again.