Four Shocking Recipes From the Tables of Past US Presidents

Cookin' with Congress: Terrifying Recipes from Past Presidents

Introduction

In 2017, my wife's grandmother pulled a dusty cookbook from her bookshelf and handed it to me with a sparkly-eyed grin. This cookbook sparked the idea for Cookin' with Congress, my endless mission to recreate unreal recipes from real politicians at the expense of my tastebuds. In honor of Presidents' Day, here are four of my favorite terrifying recipes from past presidents, which I recreated and taste-tested at home so that you never have to make them yourself.

Recipe 1: Woodrow Wilson's Grape Juice and Raw Egg Breakfast

Ingredients

• 1/2 glass Concord grape juice
• 2 raw eggs

Directions

1. Beat eggs with an electric whisk in a glass until frothy.
2. Pour grape juice into the same glass.
3. Stir with a spoon to mix.

Note: Best left for the iron stomachs.

Recipe 2: Theodore Roosevelt's Cream of Cucumber Salad

Ingredients

• 2 large cucumbers, peeled and cubed
• 2 tablespoons pimentos
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon tarragon vinegar
• 1/4 cup whipped cream
• Lemon slices for decoration (optional)
• French dressing
• Lettuce leaves

Directions

1. In a bowl, mix cucumber, pimentos, milk, tarragon vinegar, whipped cream, and salt and pepper to taste.
2. Transfer the mixture to a mold or a serving dish and chill for 2 to 3 hours, or until set.
3. Unmold onto a plate or serve in the mold or dish.
4. Garnish with lemon slices (optional).
5. Serve on a bed of lettuce leaves and drizzle with French dressing.

Note: The finished product looks like a shiny Watergate Salad, but it tastes like someone dropped sugar-free marshmallow fluff onto a plate of crudité.

Recipe 3: Richard Nixon's Ham Mousse

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups ground ham
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
• 1/4 cup tomato juice
• 1/4 cup beef consommé, undiluted
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup whipping cream, whipped

Directions

1. In a bowl, mix ground ham, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
2. Sprinkle the gelatin over tomato juice and let stand for 5 minutes.
3. Heat beef consommé in a saucepan until hot, but not boiling.
4. Add the gelatin mixture to the consommé and stir until dissolved.
5. Add mayonnaise to the ham mixture and fold in the gelatin mixture.
6. Whip the cream until stiff and fold into the ham mixture.
7. Spoon the mixture into a mold or serving dish and chill for several hours, or until set.
8. Unmold or serve in the dish.

Note: Imagine they've invented a new Cool Whip flavor and that flavor is Boiled Ham Loaf. It tastes like congealed soup stock.

Recipe 4: George H.W. Bush's Cream Sherry Wine Jelly

Ingredients

• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
• 1/2 cup cream sherry
• 1 cup orange juice
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup whipping cream, whipped

Directions

1. Sprinkle the gelatin over sherry and let stand for 5 minutes.
2. In a saucepan, heat orange juice, lemon juice, and sugar until hot, but not boiling.
3. Add the gelatin mixture to the juice mixture and stir until dissolved.
4. Chill the mixture until slightly thickened.
5. Whip the cream until stiff and fold into the mixture.
6. Spoon the mixture into a mold or serving dish and chill for several hours, or until set.
7. Unmold or serve in the dish.
8. Decorate with whipped cream and chocolate leaves, if desired.

Note: Tastes like congealed soup stock.

Originally Post From https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/presidential-recipes

Read more about this topic at
Industrial cuisine revisited
The Food Timeline--Presidents food favorites