Food and Politics: President Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln
- jr81568
- 3 hours ago
- 4 min read
Food and politics are often part of being well know historical figures and political leaders. President Lincoln enjoyed simple meals that reminded him of his childhood in Virginia. He grew up poor and lived on a farm. Mary Todd Lincoln his wife grew up in a wealthy family with servants that prepared gourmet meals. She learned menu planning, entertaining, and collecting recipes.
The food or menus prepared by Mary Todd Lincoln reflected the struggle of war using simple abundant foods and showed that abundance of food in the US for the wealthy during the war. It showed the contrast in classes between the poor and the rich an essential part of the culture. Mary Lincoln cooked simple meals for Lincoln and planned more elaborate meals and treats when entertaining guests.
Lincoln Liked Simple Meals
Lincoln like simple meals and loved apples because they were plentiful and came in different varieties. He often liked to eat them cut into slices when working. He like cornbread a staple that he ate in his childhood a staple connected to common people. His wife Mary learned to make this dish when they were married and other dishes he enjoyed.
Mary made Chicken Fricassee a dish made of chicken cut into small pieces fried with a seasoning of nutmeg and mace and served with a gravy made of chicken dripping. For breakfast Lincoln liked to eat bacon, eggs and biscuits.
Growing up Lincoln did not get many treats or baked goods due to economic circumstances His mother made him gingerbread men from sorghum and ginger occasionally. For Lincoln this was a special treat he loved.
One day his mother baked Lincoln three gingerbread men and he took them outside under a tree to eat. As he was eating one a boy from a poor family came by and asked if he could have one. Lincoln gave him two to eat because the boy said he liked gingerbread and never had it.
Lincoln's wife Mary organized dinner and social events at their house. Mary was frugal and often haggled over prices with vendors and used local produce and ingredients available locally. She learned to cook and bake but Lincoln was a fussy eater and Mary his wife had trouble getting him to eat at a meal at times.
Mary Lincoln liked to give dinner parties and socials at their home serving strawberries with ice cream and cake. Her cooking skills were described as average by many visitors and neighbors, but she excelled at organizing and planning events and dinners.
A Few Dinners The Lincolns Served In the White House
When Lincoln was in the White House Mary Lincoln planned many of the dinners, menus and themes. The staff chef prepared the meals but the recipes were provided by Mary Lincoln. The meals ranged form simple food to gourmet reflecting the differences in economic classes. She took simple recipes and elevated them to gourmet by adding other ingredients.
Roast Wild Turkey With Chestnut Stuffing
Lincoln loved wild turkey. They had wild turkey hunted in Virginia or Kentucky and shipped to the White House for dinners and entertaining. It was served on holidays, state dinners, and was considered a comfort food with the Civil War occurring. Turkey was served on different occasions not just Thanksgiving.
Boiled Rockfish With Egg Sauce
Menus ranged between simple to gourmet at the White House. This dish was served because rockfish were plentiful and inexpensive. Mary Lincoln was frugal and liked to save money. The rockfish was served whole with a thick creamy sauce made with butter, lemon, egg yolk, and nutmeg. A whole fish with creamy sauce was upscale dining.
Oyster Stew
Lincoln like cooked oysters and they served them at the White house stewed or scalloped. They were a staple and economical t and found in abundance in the Chesapeake Bay. They were cooked in milk, salt, broth, butter and cream.
Chicken Fricassee
Lincoln like chicken fricassee and Mary served it at the White House with mushroom to make it a gourmet dish. It was often served with rice or bread at the dinners.
Desserts At the White House Dinners
Mary Lincoln served some delicious desserts at her dinners at the White House. Cranberry Mold Dessert, Apple Charlotte, Apple Pie, and Minced Pies.
The White House Dinners reflected simple food made special with special ingredients and upscale dining the wealthy were accustomed to. This showed the differences between the social classes, education, and money. Overall, it reflected how culture, food and money affects everyone.
Websites With Lincoln's Recipes
Try Your Hand At These Lincoln Era Recipes, Corn Dodgers and White Almond Cake, Illinois History and Lincoln Collections,
Abraham Lincoln's Chicken Fricassee Recipe, by Stephanie Wilson, June 5 2026, 31 Daily 2026
References:
10 Food From the 19th Century That Abraham Lincoln Enjoyed The Most by Jace
Lamonica, September 29, 2005
What President Lincoln Liked to Eat? Lincoln's Favorite Foods, by Rene Gentry, Everything Lincoln 2026, City State Zip code, 2026
25 Foods Served In the White House During President Lincolns Term, YouTube The America We Remember
Abraham Lincoln, by Lynne Oliver, The Food Timeline Virginia Tech University Libraries Special Collections College of Liberal Arts and Human Service 2026
Gastromica Abe, by Katherine Rae and Erin Mast, July 26, 2017, Lincoln Cottage 2026
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