Dining at Monticello, by Damon Lee Fowler. Charlottesville, VA: Thomas Jefferson Foundation, 2005.
Was Thomas Jefferson a vegetarian? Perhaps he wasn’t, but he did not consume much red meat and ate a notable quantity and variety of vegetables. These and other facts are included in the intriguing book, Dining at Monticello, by Damon Lee Fowler.
Fowler draws on Jefferson’s family’s personal letters, recipe manuscripts, accounts of food purchases, and Jefferson’s own notebook to reveal what eating was like during Jefferson’s era at the famed Virginia home.
Fowler includes Jefferson’s notes describing the 1,000 foot long vegetable garden he designed, as well as other interesting facts, such as an explanation of what service “a la francaise” is, how scholars knew
what to recreate in renovating Monticello’s kitchen, and a description of the kinds of visitors Monticello hosted.
A comprehensive list of the types of visitors, written by a Monticello resident, says “We had persons from abroad, from all States of the Union, from every part of the State, people of wealth, fashion, men in office, professional men military and civil, lawyers, doctors, Protestant clergymen, Catholic priests, members of congress, foreign ministers, missionaries, Indian agents, tourists, travelers, artists, strangers, friends.”
The second half of the book contains recipes from various sources relating to Jefferson’s family. Some are penned by Jefferson himself. Some of the more interesting recipes include: Forcemeat (sausages without casings) Balls, Mushroom Catsup, Creamed Cod, and Cabbage with Butter Sauce. Others include: Bread Pudding, Chocolate Ice-Cream, Baked Virginia Ham, Baked Custard, and Savory Biscuits.
The book, which is lavishly illustrated, should appeal to fans of Americana and culinary history.
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February 08, 2019
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Last updated: February 8, 2019