Still, one thing each of our leaders has had in common is that they've all liked to eat food. ", 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, says he was attempting to give up tobacco. From cheeseburger pizza to custard pie, these are some of thefavorite meals ofUS presidents. According to, , Tyler pudding wasn't really a pudding, per se, but was nearly identical to the. , he would eat this dish accompanied by macaroni to help offset some of its richness. Our first president had very simple tastes and a hearty "I'll have guacamole coming out of my eyeballs," he admitted. He is very fond of chili, though, and in an interview with, , neither drinks nor smokes, but he does have one weakness he'll cheerfully admit. The cookbook says such pies are made from steak and liver, but. A simple mixture of meat, potatoes, and vegetables seemed to do the trick, and these kinds of soups were served often during Filmore's time as president. He once tripped down the stairs while de-boarding Air Force One; while skiing, a chair lift hit his back. When asked to name a favorite dish for posterity, though, the one Clinton came up with was chicken enchiladas. Was eating squirrel on the campaign trail circa 18-something akin to eating a funnel cake at the Iowa State Fair as is de rigueur for 21st-century, , 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. Perhaps the most elegant eatery of the 19th century was Delmonico's, a fancy-schmancy New York steakhouse. estimated it at upwards of 2,300, but Dubya's chef did say of her boss, "He watches his portion control! It's not easy leading a country through wars and economic strife. after a stint as Minister to France. Hoppin' John is a dish made from rice, pork, and black-eyed peas that's popular in the south. The whole "eat local" movement is trendy these days, but back in John Adams' time, being a locavore was pretty much the norm. Okay, no, for the most part, they are not. From their backgrounds, personalities to their favorite food its something that we can relate to. 1, was known for being a generous host at his homeinMount Vernon. According to ", ," he once claimed, "I could eat corn cakes as fast as two women can make them. 1:28. Washington sold whiskey (made near Mount Vernon), but he probably rarely, if ever, drank it. Among the more innocuous facts on file about Richard Nixon is his habit of lunching on cottage cheese. One of Harding's favorite foods was chicken pot pie made with chicken, vegetables, and a flaky pastry crust. He won a seat in the House of Representatives in 1948, a post he would occupy for the next 25 years. 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." Ronald Reagan, the 40th president, was well known for his love of jelly beans. (Not Millard himself, though, or he would not have qualified for the presidency.) President Bush also enjoys home-made chips, peanut butter, cinnamon bread, and pickles. According to his chef, one of his favorite dishes included New England chowder. We assume Hoover enjoyed this combo to have it recorded in history. (, reports that the Trumans had no such compunction.) Patterson's version. The 12th U.S. president was born in Virginia but grew up in Kentucky, where he developed a taste for Southern food and sweets (via Book of Days Tales). 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. This southern staple often made an appearance throughout Carter's presidency and was even served to important visitors to the White House. 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. Bush, the 41st president, was a man of simple taste when it came to food. The former president also liked biscuits, chicken pot pie, and BLTs. In fact, the National Constitution Center admits that history has little to say about Madison's favorite foods, but the best guess is that this Virginia native enjoyed his state's smoked ham. Gerald Ford's favorite breakfast food was English muffins, which according to news reports when he became president, he toasted every morning. When asked what his favorite snack food is by comedian Jerry Seinfeld on thelatest season of"Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee," President Obama quickly said, "nachos. Turtle, like squirrels, is another 19th-century favorite that has fallen out of favor, although for entirely different reasons. Some of these were childhood favorites that stayed with them into adulthood while others were recipes they had picked up after traveling abroad. Not Harry S. Truman thoughhe was once quoted as saying, "only coyotes and predatory animals eat raw beef.". According to Parade, Bush's favorite snack was pork rinds, which he was known to eat often, much to the dismay of his wife Barbara. According to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, the president first started snacking on jelly beans in 1966 to help himself get over his smoking habit. Unfortunately, this dish didn't bring the best luck to Johnson, who had one of the worst presidencies in history, according to the Miller Center. It seems like something that might be made out of worn-out handkerchiefs and Long Johns with holes in the seat. Wilson was known for being a very private person and didn't share much about his personal life with the public, making it hard to uncover his favorite dishes. Famous chefs, including the easily-irritable Gordon Ramsay, havebeen known to criticize awell-done steak. However, we do know that Arthur was remembered for his extravagant taste and liked to host lavish dinner parties at the White House. The president's wife, Laura, toldABC News that they both missed good Mexican food more than anything else while living at the White House. Barack Obama was quite the First Foodie while in office, frequenting restaurants all around the nation's capital. Ford was an ordinary American; for the only man who assumed the nation's highest office without being After his parents got a divorce, his mother remarried a paint salesman named Gerald Rudolff Ford. In San Francisco 17 days later, Fords life was again threatened by a woman named Sara Jane Moore, a left-wing activist prone to mood swings. Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president, was born in New York City in 1858. Fortunately, Lyndon B. Johnson used that power to instead install abutton that was dedicated to have an aide bring him some Fresca. President Gerald Fords favorite food was a savory pot roast and butter pecan ice cream . Before becoming president,Jimmy Carterspent some time, . 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." featured presidential favorites, but the one listed for Franklin Pierce may have raised a few eyebrows: fannie daddies, a dish with a name that sounds like a naughty joke from a Victorian novel. in 2010, the Johnsons brought a cook known as the Barbecue King all the way from Texas to prepare some of the president's favorite meals. Perhaps due in part to his love of this carb-heavy meal, Taft was also the heaviest president in history, weighing in at over 330 pounds. While he enjoyed fine food, he was a busy man and seemed to have a particular love for a good soup or stew. According to PBS, Adams particularly loved to drink his cider while eating a simple dinner prepared by his wife Abigail. With a type of pudding that came to share his name. While traveling through Europe, Jefferson developed a taste for fine cuisine and wine, which he then brought back to the States. His housekeeper Henrietta Nesbitt was notorious for serving some of the, . Along with letting the presidents indulge in their favorite foods, that team of chefs also kept a few of these foods from being lost to memory. In the lead-up to the 1956 election, The President's Kitchen Cabinet tells us that Ike made his stew recipe available to his supporters. LINK. Arthur's most requested meal, according to Food Timeline, was a dinner of mutton chops and a glass of ale. The actual dish, however, as described by Ohio's Tribune Chronicle (McKinley being a Buckeye by birth), is made from potatoes and beets. 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. According to Food Timeline, President Calvin Coolidge's mother used to make these pies for him. TerHorst, left his job after determining that he could not in good conscience support [Fords] decision to pardon former President Nixon., Despite his background as an athletehe played football at MichiganFord had the misfortune of being caught on camera when he suffered an occasional lapse into klutziness. ", Source: Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee, Food Wine. Perhaps he doesn't have to. In terms of beverages, he's known to down Diet Coke. GERALD FORD Favorite Film: Home Alone. According to "Our Capital on the Potomac," the president once asked to trade his gourmet grub for the corned beef and cabbage being served in the servants' hall and later described it as "the best dinner I had eaten in months.". Former president Gerald Ford (1913-2006) had the unenviable task of following a disgraced Richard Nixon, the first man to resign from the presidency, in the wake of the Watergate scandal. WebPresident Ford's Favorites Hobby: stamp collecting Breakfast: orange juice, melon, English muffins, and tea with lemon Food: pot roast and red cabbage (for recipes see The White So what goes into this not-so-descriptively named dish? John Quincy Adams is another president who didn't leave many records of his food preferences, but according to the Massachusetts Historical Society, he was really into gardening, especially after he left The White House. Unlike his presidential predecessor, Gerald Ford had a favorite food that we can surely all get behind: waffles. Wiki User 2008-11 Other foods the now-retired president enjoys include chili, chocolate, trail mix, and roasted nuts (via The New York Times). Hoppin' John is traditionally served on New Year's Day to bring good luck for the year ahead (via History). 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. According to the Richard Nixon Presidential Library, the former president's favorite breakfast consisted of cottage cheese topped with ketchup and black pepper. As a voracious consumer of these little treats, over three tons were consumed during hispresidential inauguration in 1981. Pork apple pie may sound unappealing, but when you know how well apples and pork go together, it doesn't seem so far-fetched. Taft was known to start each day with a 12-ounce steak, although eventually he took his doctor's advice and reduced the size of his steaks to 6 ounces. He prefers 'a small, easy to carry pipe,' and his favorite tobaccos are Field & Stream and Walnut, both traditional American blends, appropriately enough." Chester Arthur had the unique distinction of sharing his favorite food with his signature look. He was first a reporter, then became a before he entered politics. It didn't just end there though the onlyPresident to resign in US history loved to have ketchup with his beloved cottage cheese. Ford was also a fan of other hearty American foods, including freshly baked bread, spare ribs, burgers, and ice cream. Johnson, who took over as the president after JFK was assassinated, was born and raised in Texas and carried pride in his state throughout his entire life (via The White House). So it's not surprising to learn that much of what he ate came from no more than a few miles from his Massachusetts home. Van Buren became somewhat of a boar aficionado after this introduction, as. Adorned withlettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, pickles and onions, his love for burgers was evenportrayed on an episode of Saturday Night Live. According to The Daily Beast, cornbread was a staple of the Polk household, even though no one in the family was known for their love of food. Recipe Circus, however, explains that fannie daddies are actually clam fritters, something that's long been popular in New England (Pierce, as you may or may not recall, was a New Hampshire man, notes The White House). He married Frances Folsom in 1886, and the couple had five children together. According to "American Cake," he was partial to a fried sweet rice dumpling known as calas tous chauds. Man of letters that he was, Irving, who penned both "Rip Van Winkle" and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,", to describe the trip. So does he miss those enchiladas now? Gerald Ford 's favorite breakfast food was English muffins, which according to news reports when he became president, he toasted every morning. Poor FDR! When you google "Abraham Lincoln" and "cake," you're likely to get a zillion recipes for modernized versions of an almond cake that Mary Todd is said to have made for him back in their courting days. Nesbitt was a friend of his wife's, though, so as much as he longed to fire her, he was never able to do so. Too bad he and James Buchanan never got to know each other, but as Harding was only two years old when his fellow president passed away at the age of 77, they were fated never to become sauerkraut buddies. Warren G. Harding presided over the nation during Prohibition, so his dinners of state were as booze-free as those of Rutherford B. Hayes. Squirrel meat, rather than being treated as a scarce delicacy these days, is instead looked down upon. While this sounds somewhat more palatable than cloth scraps, it's still not really something you'd expect to see come out of The White House kitchens. Talk about being influential. Unlike his presidential predecessor, Gerald Ford had a favorite food that we can surely all get behind: waffles. He enjoyed breakfast food, according to Food Timeline, and often started his day with fresh fruit, juice, English muffins, and jam. Cabbage is a popular ingredient in many German dishes, which he ate frequently (via Food Timeline). When Ford took office in August 1974, the American public looked on to see how he would adjudicate the fate of the man he was replacing. The 33rd President also enjoyedchocolate cake, chicken and dumplings,custard pie, and fried chicken. So it's not surprising to learn that much of what he ate came from no more than a few miles from his Massachusetts home. On an episode of "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee," the former president said that he loves nachos so much, he needs someone to take them away from him while he's eating (via CNN). Alcohol was back in the White House by the time James Garfield took office. When the Fords were dining en famille, however, they preferred something a bit simpler. Many of the dishes on this list may seem strange by today's standards, but keep in mind that people living a century or so ago would likely be horrified by the idea of kale smoothies or chocolate with 0% sugar. The Herman Goelitz Candy Company, which later introduced the brand Jelly Belly, regularly sent Reagan shipments of jelly beans during all eight years he held office in 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. As his chef told the British newspaper The Sun (via Grub Street), she'd start off with a Margherita pizza base got to retain those foodie credentials somehow then pile on toppings including ground beef, bacon, fried onions, ketchup, pickles, and, of course, lots of cheese. All rights reserved. John Quincy Adams is another president who didn't leave many records of his food preferences, but according to the. But that's what happens when you perform an autopsy 164 years post-mortem, reports the Courier Journal. But the fact didnt sink in until 1930, when King visited him. His daughter Amy praised one particular dish that Carter would make for the family, saying, "Daddy makes grits for breakfast, then breaks a couple of eggs into it and adds some cheese, and it's yummy.". PBS' ". " A poor economy meant steep budget cuts, while at the same the nation's Bicentennial needed to be celebrated in style with lobster and medallions of veal. While today bitter is better, back when Herbert Hoover occupied the Oval Office, sweet foods were very much en Vogue. Polk was as cautious as could be, relating in his diary how he politely refused the unfamiliar food offered him in New Orleans and instead quietly asked for an old standby, a slice of ham with cornbread. Rest well and thanks for the memories! Jimmy Carter, the 39th president, is from Georgia, so it's no surprise that his favorite food is grits. Terrapin with cornbread sticks. Dwight Eisenhower may have been a military hero prior to his presidency, but one lesser-known fact about him is that he also liked to cook. As a Southerner born and bred, President Jimmy Carter loved his corn bread. 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. He also frequently drank whiskey, wine, and port. Before becoming president,Jimmy Carterspent some time running the family peanut farm. 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. He was known to have a sweet tooth and puddings were some of his favorite desserts, as perFood Timeline. 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. Hoecakes are a type of cornmeal pancake that was popular among many southern states in the 18th century. 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. Federalist senator Manasseh Cutler even wrote about eating "a pie called macaroni" at the President's House in 1802. So proud of the recipe was he, though, that he submitted it to "The Original White House Cookbook," published in 1887. Had it been up to two different women, Ford wouldnt have lived to the ripe age of 93. When Old Hickory was in The White House, his state dinners, according to "A Rich and Fertile Land," combined haute cuisine with plainer fare more reflective of his Tennessee roots. The footage inspired Chevy Chases portrayal of Ford as a klutz on Saturday Night Live, which Ford took in stride. Food, after all, is the great equalizer. ," his housekeeper Elizabeth Jaffray remarks that even after adopting this diet, "somehow he really didn't take off any great amount of weight." says the dish became one of his favorite Christmas traditions. George W. Bush, the 43rd president of the United States and son of George H.W. says there's a similar recipe that dates back to the 1880s. 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 His actual tastes may have run more to something plainer and more savory, though. Just like a hot, juicy sex scandal, President Bill Clinton loved his hot and greasycheeseburgers. He also enjoyed roast beef, pickles, and hot cereal. However, he seldom showed his conservative side when it came to his favorite food: Jelly Belly jelly beans. Grover Cleveland was born in New Jersey and later moved to New York, where he became a lawyer (via The White House). He probably didn't eat a great deal of it, though, since at 5' 4 and 100 pounds, he was the smallest of our presidents, notes Statista. He was known for his love of fruit, which was unusual for the time (via Food Timeline). 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. A dinner hosted one year by the Officer's Club on the. He enjoyed breakfast food, according to Food Timeline, and often started his day with fresh fruit, juice, English muffins, and jam. He was known (and probably thanked) for bringing Texas barbecue to the White House during his time as president. As for his favorite food? He was even known as the "Cheese President" because he would keep wheels of the stuff at the White House and served it often at parties. He particularly loved sauerkraut, which is made from fermented cabbage. Tyler, who was born in Virginia, served as the 10th president of the United States from 1841 to 1845 (via The White House). He also enjoys KFC and Pizza Hut. In an, , he admitted that "many pretenders to refinement despise [sauerkraut]," but said he was glad that "we both delight in the classical dish." Back in Chester A. Arthur's day, though, there was nothing this presidential gourmand liked better than a good turtle steak. While Jefferson neither invented nor introduced ice cream, he was quite a fan, and atMonticello, there's a recipe he wrote out himself for a French vanilla version. 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. As he told the. 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. 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. The series was shooting a scene at a real charity ball in Denver in 1983 when producers spotted Ford and his wife, Betty, among those in attendance. 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. Like his predecessor and fellow Virginian James Madison, Wilson was very fond of Virginia country ham. While "Annie" reminds us that Herbert Hoover wasn't the most popular president, he did love a popular Thanksgiving side dish: sweet potatoes and marshmallows. They're also human, which means they have to eat. Frozen cheese with watercress salad. Source: Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum. One of his favorite dishes was said to be New England fish chowder, although a National Press ClubPresident's Day-themed dinner chose bay scallop chowder to represent the 35th Commander-in-Chief. Like John Quincy Adams, he often opted for fruit when it came to dessert. Gerald Ford: Pot roast Ford would follow his classic American dinner of choice with butter pecan ice cream. When the Fords were dining en famille, however, they preferred something a bit simpler. reveals that his nickname for 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue was the "Great White Jail." While the president's favorite flavor was licorice, he celebrated his 1981 inauguration by treating his guests to. One of Wilson's favorite foods was chicken salad made with chopped chicken, mayonnaise, and diced vegetables. While Honest Abe purportedly praised it to the skies, what else could he say when trying to seal the marital deal? The funny thing is, according to the Biloxi Sun-Herald article reprinted in. At a campaign stop in San Antonio, Texas to visit the Alamo, Ford was offered a plate of tamales. From a 1925 account of Roosevelt's presidency called ". Was eating squirrel on the campaign trail circa 18-something akin to eating a funnel cake at the Iowa State Fair as is de rigueur for 21st-centurypresidential hopefuls? I like cleanliness and I think you're better off going there than maybe someplace where you have no idea where the food is coming from." December 28, 2022. George Washington. Johnson was born in North Carolina and later moved to Tennessee, where he became a tailor. According to Food Timeline, James Garfield was very fond of squirrel soup. This happy little experiment resulted in a nice crusty pudding, and Monroe must have liked it if it stayed on the menu. It's estimated that President John Adams drank about He was instrumental in ratifying the Bill of Rightsand also took part in shaping the American political system as we know it today. Pot Roast and Red Cabbage Gerald Ford. One of Roosevelt's favorite foods was fried chicken. Mrs. Coolidge, he said, was a big fan of his veal curry, but the president had more of a sweet tooth. According to the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, the president enjoyed many other desserts, including apple and sugar cookies, both also made by Mamie. Among his specialties was a beef stew made with a tomato-based broth and a pinch of cayenne pepper. The former president's wife, Sarah, was extremely frugal and likely made corn pone often because it was cheap. It rates 18 different mentions in. It was also one of Andrew Johnson's favorites, according to The History Chef. McDonald's was (and probably still is) Trump's favorite chain, and his favorite sandwich was the Filet-O-Fish. Haldeman noted in his diary that the president ate his curds and whey with pineapple, while presidential aide Stephen Bullsayshe ate them with ketchup. His wife, too, was known by the sobriquet of Lemonade Lucy for the nonalcoholic beverage she favored. Franklin Pierce, the 14th president of the United States, was born in New Hampshire and grew up eating the specialties of New England, according to the Miller Center. Ford later recalled that he was so busy campaigning that he arrived only minutes before the ceremony with mud still on his shoes. Haller wasn't the only one to do the cooking, though. He also enjoyed a tomato omelet, or at least the equivalent of that dish as it was made in the mid-1800s. Eisenhower nicknamed the dessert "Million Dollar Fudge," undoubtedly because that's what he thought it was worth. In the early 1800s, fresh fruit was not as readily available as it is today, so it was a treat. Like his predecessor and fellow Virginian James Madison, Wilson was very fond of Virginia country ham. Oysters were a popular Southern dish in the 1800s are were a favorite of Martin Van Buren, who served from 1837 to 1841. When he was on his own, though, : hoecakes, which are a kind of pancake made out of cornmeal. He's said to have preferred it with white gravy, too, as that's the way his mother used to make it. the child who is not embraced by the village joker, orange curriculum vs gospel project,