A Harte Appetite: Hail to the chef

On June 19, 1790, Thomas Jefferson came upon Alexander Hamilton outside George Washington’s house in lower Manhattan. The Secretary of the Treasury, looking especially dispirited, divulged that he was about to submit his resignation. Jefferson urged Hamilton to hold off and invited him to dinner – a dinner that turned out to be one of the most decisive repasts in American history, as recounted in the musical “Hamilton” and compellingly described by Alex Prud’homme (Julia Child’s great-nephew) in a delightfully informative book, “Dinner with the President.”

Jefferson also invited Washington and James Madison in the hopes that as they broke bread together they could come to a resolution on two of the biggest issues facing the new republic: how to deal with the debts incurred by the Revolutionary War and where to build a new capital city.

Pulling out all the stops, Jefferson had engaged his Parisian-trained slave chef, James Hemmings, to put together the menu and cook the meal. Prud’homme suggests the dinner probably started with a green salad dressed with a Madeira-spiked dressing, followed by capon stuffed with Virginia ham, then boeuf a la mode, ending with Jefferson’s signature dessert, a precursor to Baked Alaska. Along the way there were no fewer than four excellent wines, chosen by Jefferson, a dedicated oenophile who when he became president spent nearly half of his annual salary on wine.

It worked. By the end of the evening all parties had agreed to a compromise. The federal government would assume some of the state war debts, as Hamilton and his adherents favored, while a new federal city would be established in a southern state, as Madison and his stalwarts desired. It is no exaggeration to say that the deal saved the union.

As we wrap up another presidential election year, it’s worth noting that food played a significant role in the deal too. In fact, though not always as consequential as Jefferson’s dinner, the intersection of food and politics has been considerable since the beginning of American history. After all, as John Adams observed, molasses was an “essential ingredient” of the American Revolution.

Sometimes the connection between food and politics seems trivial, such as when Nelson Rockefeller argued that to be elected to any office in this country, you have to be photographed eating a hot dog. But food is frequently a vital part of the politician’s toolkit.

Thus, Grant hosted the first official state dinner. FDR served hot dogs to the King and Queen of England, hoping to improve attitudes toward the royal couple and temper American isolationism. Eisenhower, a proficient cook himself, took the pulse of the nation through stag dinners at the White House. LBJ advocated “barbecue diplomacy.” Jimmy Carter plyied Sadat and Begin with pies and cakes at Camp David. And Richard Nixon, who hated state dinners and preferred nothing more than cottage cheese for lunch every day, nonetheless mastered chopstick techniques for display at an elaborate state dinner in Beijing, one of the greatest gastronomic and political events of the last century.

Every president, including our incoming one, would do well to heed the advice of the late Anthony Bourdain: “There is nothing more political than food.”

Ozark Pudding

This was President Harry Truman’s favorite dessert, made for him often by Mrs. Truman. It was served at the luncheon following Winston Churchill’s “Iron Curtain” speech at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri, in 1946. Bess typically served the dessert topped by a dollop of whipped cream which she had spiked with rum. No wonder it was always met with landslide approval when she brought it to the table. This recipe is adapted from the food.com website.

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup sugar

• 2/3 cup flour

• 1//2 teaspoon salt

• 2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 2 cups chopped apples

• 1 cup chopped pecans or black walnuts

Beat eggs until thick and lemony is color. Gradually add sugar and continue beating until mixture is smooth and creamy. Combine flour, salt, and baking powder and stir into egg mixture. Fold in apples and nuts. Pour butter into a greased 9 x 9-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until lightly browned and center is not quite firm. Pudding will sink a bit when cooled.

Tom Harte’s book, “Stirring Words,” is available at local bookstores. A Harte Appetite airs Tuesdays at 7:42 a.m. and 5:18 pm on KRCU, 90.9 FM. Contact Tom at semissourian.com or at the Southeast Missourian, P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo., 63702-0699.