State Dinner Menus of Eras Past: Aspic, Hot Dogs, and Boiled Mutton

Editor's Note: Lesley Blume's piece below originally ran on the occasion of the Obamas' first White House state dinner honoring Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, for which Marcus Samuelsson was the guest chef. Rick Bayless guest-cheffed their second state dinner for Mexican President Felipe Calderon. (View Samuelsson's state dinner menu here and Bayless's menu here.)

In anticipation of tonight's third state dinner honoring Chinese President Hu Jintao, we thought we'd have a look again.

* * *

Tonight President Obama and Mrs. Obama will host their first state dinner at the White House, honoring Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Few events are more glamorous than these; they make Vanity Fair's famous annual Oscar party seems like kindergarten in comparison. A thousand egos must perish on the vine when state dinner invitations go out and don't land on certain doorsteps.

After all, as author Peter Schifando says in his book Entertaining at the White House with Nancy Reagan, "a published list of guests is taken as a barometer of who is in favor and who is out."

Social politics (not to mention political politics) aside, state dinners also offer a barometer of another sort: they showcase the state of American culture - and this time around, the world is eager to see Obama-lot revive the glamour of Camelot's grand fetes. After all, state dinners and other similar events allowed the Kennedys to show the world a new side of our country: one premised on youth, chicness, and a uniquely American cultural sophistication.

"State dinners [are] not just an opportunity to show off American hospitality," says one-time First Chef Walter Scheib in his book White House Chef: Eleven Years, Two Presidents, One Kitchen. "They are a chance to parade American food and wine before the world."

For more than 200 years, American presidents and their wives have used state dinners to display the best that America has to offer. In this special edition of my Lets' Bring Back column (which celebrates forgotten events, objects, personalities, and pastimes from bygone eras), I've looked into how some First Couples have touted American cuisine - and by extension, American identity - in the past.

It's fascinating to see how presentation and palates have evolved over the years, and how historical context and presidential personality all influence this facet of American showmanship. Yet one thing has always been consistent: the desire to make a distinct impression.

Below, the Kennedys tout the virtues of aspic, the Franklin Roosevelts scandalize the polite world with an all-American entrée, and George Washington gives new meaning to the phrase "no frills."

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The humbleness of the Washington White House

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On May 29, 1789, President George Washington hosted America's first state dinner, at which ministers from France and Spain were present. A description of this modest event from one of the guests: "It was the least showy dinner that I ever sa[w] at the President's. As there was no clergyman present, Washington himself said grace on taking his seat. He dined on a boiled leg of mutton, as it was his custom to eat of only one dish. After the dessert a single glass of wine was offered to each of the guests, when the President rose, the guests following his example, and rapired to the drawing-room, each departing at his option, without ceremony." This was perhaps an appropriately solemn affair, considering that the leaders of this newly-founded, war-ravaged country were probably still terrified about shaping its future. Another source states that "the Washingtons served good wine, but ordinarily a silver mug of beer stood beside the President's plate, except at state dinners." (Excerpt from Washington After the Revolution, William Spohn Baker [J.B. Lippincott Company: Philadelphia], 1898)

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On May 29, 1789, President George Washington hosted America's first state dinner, at which ministers from France and Spain were present. A description of this modest event from one of the guests:

"It was the least showy dinner that I ever sa[w] at the President's. As there was no clergyman present, Washington himself said grace on taking his seat. He dined on a boiled leg of mutton, as it was his custom to eat of only one dish. After the dessert a single glass of wine was offered to each of the guests, when the President rose, the guests following his example, and rapired to the drawing-room, each departing at his option, without ceremony."

This was perhaps an appropriately solemn affair, considering that the leaders of this newly-founded, war-ravaged country were probably still terrified about shaping its future. Another source states that "the Washingtons served good wine, but ordinarily a silver mug of beer stood beside the President's plate, except at state dinners."

(Excerpt from Washington After the Revolution, William Spohn Baker [J.B. Lippincott Company: Philadelphia], 1898)

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Comments

[KIVPossum]

07:35 AM on 11/27/2009

Grant had the best menu except for the Roman punch, which sounds like renamed PJ

[Pema]

10:20 AM on 11/26/2009

QUESTION? if hp readers were holding a state dinner what would you serve? so many posts are so interesting as to what you like, it would be fun and interesting to see what would be served....

winter menu....
butternut soup with the fried seeds on top (they are better than pumpkin seeds)
stuffed romain leaves (roasted red peppers, pinons, maytag blue cheese, with a light parsely dressing
cold poched wild salmon with a light melange of blood oranges and regular oranges on the side
angus free range organic beef, fillet cut with a wild cherry sauce, wild rice with a mix of american dried fruits
cold fruit soup
bannanas foster

your turn!

[really47]

05:39 AM on 11/25/2009

The Kennedy White House Menu was best/the Bush White House has the poblano potato which really has that attractive palate/George Washington would eat just a single item for his complete meal--that's a rough "dude"--FDR and the Hot Dog..or was that the Queen of England and the Hot Dog(the-which-fork)..??

[QueenCeleste]

02:03 AM on 11/25/2009

Normally I am mainly interested in the gowns, but it was fascinating to see the menus over the decades (centuries!). Only the rice pudding from the Ulysses White House made me hungry!

You mentioned Chef Walter Scheib--earlier tonight CSPAN had a great interview with him, describing all of the First Ladies as "alpha women" behind the scenes, no matter how soft spoken or demure they appeared in public.

[greymom]

06:18 PM on 11/24/2009

Finally I have something good to say about President G W Bush. His menu sounded delicious! With all of that good food, you would think he would have been a better president. Maybe it was Laura's doing.

[myjs]

04:16 PM on 11/24/2009

One of the best sites for White House history-
www.whitehousemuseum.org

Great photos of most of the interior rooms - public & private.

[minigun]

04:08 PM on 11/24/2009

I just hope Obama is smart enough not to serve beef or pork to the Indian guy..

[xypher0725]

12:21 AM on 11/25/2009

What a banal statement. The man has a higher understanding of multi-cultural relations than the vast majority of our country.....weak attempt at being snarky...try again

[HekmabaJuzimakz]

03:54 PM on 11/24/2009

Kennedy was really a progressive President, bringing aspic to the White House.

[PWM]

10:36 AM on 11/25/2009

In many ways he was, but it was LBJ who really pushed for civil rights.

[MembersOnlyNewKitchens]

03:11 PM on 11/24/2009

Many of those foods sounded simply delicious. I would find it an honor to sit with the president for a meal, even a hamburger.

[GrumpyOldGeek]

02:58 PM on 11/24/2009

Let's not forget Dolly Madison's favorite ice cream flavor; Oyster.
Really.

[Freesia2]

01:27 PM on 11/24/2009

Fun to read all the menues.

I thought the Clinton's sounded tastiest. Wonderful flavors in each course. And I bet the dessert was pretty. I wonder if there's a picture of it anywhere? Spun sugar serving makes for such a pretty display. It lets your guests know you fussed. ;-) (I've never spun sugar in my life. I would if I could.)

By the way, total non sequitor. I wasn't a big Clinton fan,but I always hated the way people dissed Hillary for her appearance. Look at that photo. She looks lovely. Shame on 'em.

[MyThought]

12:55 PM on 11/24/2009

The world is in a global recession - check
The US is in great financial difficulties = check

Why in hell do taxpayers have to pay to feed the movie/music RICH folks?

Shame

[685millie]

01:37 PM on 11/24/2009

State dinners are an American tradition that should happen even in times of war and financial crises. The Roosevelts served hot dogs to reflect the times. The point of the dinners is to build comradery and rapport with foreign dignitaries and American public figures, not just "feed" the privileged.

[myjs]

04:14 PM on 11/24/2009

The hot dogs were for lunch at his home at Hyde Park.

The Roosevelts had some pretty fancy State dinners.
www.oldandsold.com/articles31n/white-house-history-34.shtml

[Cakey4814]

12:48 PM on 11/24/2009

Boiled mutton..reminds me of a Sanford and Son episode where the housekeeper asked Fred and Lamont if they liked boiled mutton and Fred said "does anybody"..

[lilian101]

12:44 PM on 11/24/2009

What's fascinating about this article is the utter absence of the Obama's menu--all while announcing a la The Emperor's New Clothes, how the menu--that is not revealed--comes from the Kennedy tradition-- Jackie O tradition of haut cuisine.

Problem is, what is the Obama cuisine?

[LLisaLL]

04:00 PM on 11/27/2009

Well, it's not really a problem. The headline of this article is: State Dinner Menus of Eras Past. Since the Obama Era is not in the past, it is not included. However, there are numerous articles in the Style Section of HP the Obama State dinner, one of which is only about the menu.

Potato and Eggplant Salad
White House Arugula w/ Onion Seed Vinaigrette
2008 Savingnon Blanc, Modus Operandi, Napa Valley

Red Lentil Soup w Fresh Cheese
2006 Riesling, Brooks "Ara", Wilamette Valley

Roast Potato Dumplings w Tomato Chutney
Chick Peas and Okra or Green Curry Prawns w caramelized Salsify w smoke Collard Greens and coconut aged basmati
2007 Granache Beckman Vineyards, Santa Ynez, CA

Pumpkin pie tart
Pear tatin
Whipped Cream and Caramel sauce
Sparkling Chardonnay, Thibaut Janisson Brut, Monticello, VA

Petits fours and Coffee
Cashew Brittle
Pecan Pralines
Passion fruit and vanilla gelees
Chocolate dipped fruit

Should you next question be "What happened to the meat?" please refer to this link and read about it

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/24/state-dinner-menu-and-pla_n_369491.html

[jws2346]

12:29 PM on 11/24/2009

Eek, this article definitely culled any attempt I had of cutting back on calories today, I'm starvin'