Synopses & Reviews
Combining vivid photography with engaging essays,
Dining with the Washingtons explores the menus, diet, and styles of entertaining that characterized the beloved home of the nation's principal founding father.
Compelling accounts, historic artwork, and images of gardens, table settings, prepared food, and objects from the Mount Vernon collection blend to shed fresh light on the daily lives of George and Martha Washington, on their ceaseless stream of household guests and those who served them, and on the ways food and drink reflected the culture of eighteenth-century America. Featuring a foreword by former White House executive chef Walter Scheib and more than 90 historic recipes adapted for today's kitchens by renowned culinary historian Nancy Carter Crump, this book is ideal for veteran and novice cooks alike as well as for those wishing to learn about both formal and everyday dining at Mount Vernon. Drawing from a wide range of sources, including memoirs, diaries, plantation documents, archaeological research, and the personal correspondence of the Washington family and their visitors, this charming volume brings the household of America's first president and his wife vividly to life for modern-day readers.
The contributors are:
Steven T. Bashore, Manager of Historic Trades, Mount Vernon
Carol Borchert Cadou, Robert H. Smith Senior Curator and Vice President for Collections, Mount Vernon
Nancy Carter Crump, author and founder, Culinary Historians of Virginia
J. Dean Norton, Director of Horticulture, Mount Vernon
Dennis J. Pogue, Vice President of Preservation, Mount Vernon
Walter Scheib, former executive chef, The White House
Mary V. Thompson, Research Historian, Mount Vernon
Esther White, Director of Archaeology, Mount Vernon
Review
"Not merely a cookbook, but culinary and social history."
-Library Journal
Review
"This handsomely illustrated volume won't fail to please. With plenty of historical detail about the life of the Washingtons and numerous recipes from the period, it will be equally at home in the kitchen or on the coffee table."
-Library Journal
Review
"Serving up a fascinating collection of expert essays and recipes that capture the flavors of early America,
Dining with the Washingtons is a beautifully bound, lavishly illustrated work that should appeal to history buffs and cooks alike."
-Rocky Mount Telegram
Review
"[A] beautifully illustrated and meticulously documented book, which presents new insights into the daily lives and culinary tastes of the era."
-Tallahassee Democrat
Review
"A handsome new cookbook."
-Damon Lee Fowler, Savannah Morning News
Review
"One of the best historic cookbooks we've seen in years."
-LA Weekly
Review
"An opportunity to literally taste what life was like at Mount Vernon during the time of George and Martha Washington."
-Columbus Ledger-Enquirer
Review
"A very accessible book that will engage anyone who loves both food and history."
-Epicurious
Review
"The genius-and the bite-of this book lies in the dramatic contrast between the oft-told lives of the president, his family and his famous guests with those of the unsung slaves who toiled long to produce the hospitality for which Washington was famous."
-The Republic
Review
"An appealing and intimate glimpse into the lives of George and Martha Washington and of the foods and flavors of 18th century America."
-The Baton Rouge Advocate
Review
"A delightful coffee-table book for anyone interested in eating, gardening, or George and Martha Washington."
-Journal of Southern History
Review
"This volume rests comfortably between scholarly monograph and coffee table book, presenting a lush portrait of life at Mount Vernon for readers. . . .
Dining with the Washingtons covers eating, drinking, and socializing at Mount Vernon from every angle."
-The Historian
About the Author
Stephen A. McLeod is assistant to the president and CEO at George Washington's Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens. He is editor of The Mount Vernon Ladies' Association: 150 Years of Restoring George Washington's Home.