What’s Cooking Wednesday: FDR’s Unusual Martinis
FDR had a long-standing practice of hosting a pre-dinner cocktail hour in the White House residence during his presidency. Topics related to politics or government policy were banned from discussion.
FDR always mixed the drinks at these events. The President especially enjoyed making unusual martinis, mixing together copious amounts of vermouth with whatever liquor or juice he had on hand. He was also known to add a few drop of absinthe “for flavor” according to his personal secretary, Grace Tully. The Pernod absinthe bottle seen above is from FDR’s tray of liquor in the White House.
FDR even indulged in the practice at diplomatic meetings. “It is cold on the stomach,” remarked Stalin, after being served one of FDR’s concoctions at the Teheran Conference.
Below is the recipe for the “FDR Special” found in the Val-Kill Cookbook:
2 parts gin
1 part dry, light vermouth
olive or lemon peel for garnish
crushed iceShake up gin and vermouth in a container half filled with chipped ice. Pour into chilled martini glasses, straining out the ice. Add garnish.
-via In Roosevelt History from the Roosevelt Presidential Library
For more on how America eats, check out our new exhibit What’s Cooking, Uncle Sam? at the National Archives.
(h/t @potjie)
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