Overview
"[A] beautifully written book about how the presidential palate has helped shape America...Fascinating."āStanley Tucci
Some of the most significant moments in American history have occurred over meals, as U.S. presidents broke bread with friends or foe: Thomas Jeffersonās nationbuilding receptions in the new capital, Washington, D.C.; Ulysses S. Grantās state dinner for the king of Hawaii; Teddy Rooseveltās groundbreaking supper with Booker T. Washington; Richard Nixonās practiced use of chopsticks to pry open China; Jimmy Carterās cakes and pies that fueled a dĆ©tente between Israel and Egypt at Camp David.
Here Alex Prudāhomme invites readers into the White House kitchen to reveal the sometimes curious tastes of twenty-six of Americaās most influential presidents, how their meals were prepared and by whom, and the ways their choices affected food policy around the world. And the White House menu grew over timeā from simple eggs and black coffee for Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War and celebratory turtle soup after and squirrel stew for Dwight Eisenhower, to jelly beans and enchiladas for Ronald Reagan and arugula for Barack Obama. What our leaders say about food touches on everything from our nationās shifting diet and local politics to global trade, science, religion, war, class, gender, race, and so much more.
Prudāhomme also details overlooked figures, like George Washingtonās enslaved chef, Hercules Posey, whose meals burnished the presidentās reputation before the cook narrowly escaped to freedom, and pioneering First Ladies, such as Dolley Madison and Jackie Kennedy, who used food and entertaining to build political and social relationships. As he weaves these stories together, Prudāhomme shows that food is not just fuel when it is served to the most powerful people in the world. It is a tool of communication, a lever of power and persuasion, a form of entertainment, and a symbol of the nation.
Included are ten authentic recipes for favorite presidential dishes, such as:
- Martha Washingtonās Preserved Cherries
- Abraham Lincolnās Gingerbread Men
- William H. Taftās Billy Bi Mussel Soup
- Franklin D. Rooseveltās Reverse Martini
- Lady Bird Johnsonās Pedernales River Chili
This book title, Dinner with the President (Food, Politics, and a History of Breaking Bread at the White House), ISBN: 9781524732219, by Alex Prud'homme, published by Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group (June 28, 2022) is available in hardcover. Our minimum order quantity is 25 copies. All standard bulk book orders ship FREE in the continental USA and delivered in 4-10 business days.
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