I received an ARC from NetGalley. All rants, opinions and thoughts are my own and were not influenced by the fact that I recieved an advanced reader copy for free. All the President’s Menus by Suzanne Evans is slated to be published February 9, 2027.
About the Book:
A tour of White House dining, from George Washington’s breakfast habits to Barack Obama’s state dinners, by the renowned creator of the History Chef blog
You might remember that Ronald Regan loved jellybeans, but did you know he ate them as an aid to stop smoking? Did you know John Adams was fond of Green Sea Turtle Soup? Or that William Howard Taft kept a cow named Pauline on the White House lawn for fresh milk every day?
All the Presidents’ Menus is a delectable journey through American history, served one dish at a time. Historian and author Suzanne Evans uncovers the fascinating intersection of food, politics, and culture, revealing how meals have shaped pivotal moments in the nation’s story. From Thomas Jefferson’s introduction of macaroni and cheese to the White House to John F. Kennedy’s space-age dining innovations, this book is packed with vivid anecdotes, historic recipes, and surprising culinary trivia.
Discover the untold stories behind presidential tables, including Lincoln’s love for gingerbread men, the Potomac “Oyster Wars” that influenced the Constitution, and the scandal of “embalmed beef” that revolutionized food safety laws. With each chapter, Evans serves up a feast of history, personality, and national culture, making All the Presidents’ Menus a must-read for anyone curious about the flavors that have shaped America.
Who knew history could be so delicious? (Publisher’s blurb)
About the author:
Suzanne Evans is the founding writer of the History Channel’s “Hungry History” website and the creator and writer of the popular blog History Chef. Her books include Machiavelli for Moms and Forgotten Crimes, and her work has appeared in The New York Times, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, and other major publications. She lives in Newport Beach, California.
What I thought…
Honestly, I thought this work was a bit dry. The George Washington chapter had a lot of information that one already knew—the false teeth, the cherry tree, etc. The author did add a more infamous and little-publicized story about Washington and how he kept his talented chef enslaved (that is until he escaped).
Some presidents’ chapters are very brief. Some contain recipes and some do not.
The book ends with the Obamas and highlights their kitchen garden and it’s mostly about Michelle (which is great!). The George W. Bush chapter really discusses him visiting the troops in Baghdad and the PBJ kerfuffle during the campaign with Obama. The Clinton chapter focuses on one seemingly random Air Force One menu of tuna melts. The broccoli scandal takes up George H.W. Bush’s chapter. The more recent the president, the shorter the chapters became. In Reagan’s chapter, Evans discusses visits from Charles and Di (and Di dancing with Travolta) to Farm Aid. Jelly beans of course are mentioned but there’s not a lot of connection between topics nor is there a lot of “menu” information. Jimmy Carter’s chapter includes a recipe for grits.
The Nixon chapter has a strange anecdote about Elvis visiting the White House and how they didn’t have anything in common:
Nixon reportedly liked ketchup on cottage cheese, and Elvis liked to eat such things as fried dill pickles, gelatin made with a Shasta drink, and peanut butter and banana sandwiches fried in bacon grease. (204)
It wasn’t like they shared these foods during their meeting. And, of course who would think Elvis had anything in common with Tricky Dick?
There was an interesting artifact of a recipe that Queen Elizabeth shared with Eisenhower, one for drop scones (179).
Sometimes I felt like the title should have been All the Presidents’ Wives’ Menus. Evans shares recipes from Lady Bird for her BBQ sauce (189). Martha Washington is mentioned as being the ringleader in her husband’s Presidential kitchen. I’ve already mentioned the Michelle Obama chapter.
There are a few mentions of modern white house chefs and what presidents liked for breakfast.
I was expecting a lot of recipes and more food oriented stories. Some of the chapters felt like a reach.
No recipe today but I am still sharing with Foodies Read.
Rating: 2.5
Leave a Reply