Presented in partnership with Yankee Magazine
A wonderfully entertaining, often surprising history of presidential taste, from the grim meals eaten by Washington and his starving troops at Valley Forge to our modern-day sumptuous state dinners. This "fascinating" and "beautifully written" book looks at "how the presidential palate has helped shape America." (Stanley Tucci) ABOUT DINNER WITH THE PRESIDENT
Some of the most significant moments in American history have occurred over meals, as U.S. presidents broke bread with friends or foe; Thomas Jefferson's nation-building reception in the new capital, Washington, D.C.; Ulysses S. Grant's state dinner for the king of Hawaii; Teddy Roosevelt's groundbreaking dinner with Booker T. Washington; Richard Nixon's practiced use of chopsticks to pry open China; Jimmy Carter's cakes and pies that fueled a détente between Israel and Egypt at Camp David. In his new book enriched with ten authentic recipes, Alex Prud'homme invites readers into the White House kitchen to reveal the sometimes curious tastes of 26 of America's most influential presidents. He also details overlooked figures including George Washington's enslaved chef, Hercules Posey, and pioneering First Ladies, including Dolly Madison and Jackie Kennedy. Prud'homme shows how food is also a tool of communication, a lever of power and persuasion, a symbol of the nation. Don't miss his conversation with Amy Traverso of Yankee Magazine, who is also connected to the work and legacy of Julia Child, Prud'homme's great aunt.
Alex Prud'homme is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in The New York Times, The New Yorker, and other publications. He is the coauthor of Julia Child's Memoir, My Life in France, and has authored or coauthored The French Chef in America, France is a Feast, Born Hungry, The Ripple Effect, Hydrofracking, The Cell Game, and Forewarned.
Amy Traverso is the senior food editor at Yankee Magazine and co-host of the public television series Weekends with Yankee and the podcast Talking with My Mouth Full. She is the author of the award-winning The Apple Lover's Cookbook and has appeared on The Martha Stewart Show, Hallmark Home & Family, Throwdown with Bobby Flay, and Gordon Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares.