by William Crum
With election-year upon us, do you ever wonder what presidents like to eat?
One president in particular, Harry S Truman, was a simple man. This simple man from Independence, Mo., enjoyed basic food. One item comes to mind: baked ham. Here are some recipes from research done at the Truman Library in Independence, Mo.
The recipe: Put the ham in a covered pan, fill it half full of water and boil it for two hours. Pour off a good deal of the water, add a quart of pineapple juice and put it in the oven to bake. Bake it about an hour; remove the extra water, take off the top skin, and cover the ham with a thick layer of brown sugar, to which prepared mustard has been added. Stick many whole cloves in the ham. Return to oven and bake until done, about two hours until it is done. Any fruit syrup can be used if you do not have enough pineapple.
Another food that Harry enjoyed was pound cake. With pound cake you take 1 pound of sugar, 1 pound of flour, three quarters of a pound of butter, nine eggs beaten separately, fold in whites last. Flavor with lemon extract and bake it in a fluted pan one hour longer. For the topping, add white icing with nuts sprinkled on top.
Not only did Harry like angel food cake but he also enjoyed Ozark pudding.
Ozark pudding: Three quarters of a cup of sugar, 2 tablespoons of flour, 1 1/4 teaspoons of baking powder, 1/8 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 cup chopped nuts, 1/2 cup chopped raw apples, finely chopped, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Beat the egg and sugar a long time until very smooth. Mix flour, baking powder and salt and stir into the sugar and egg mixture. Add apples, nuts and vanilla. Put it in a pan in a 350-degree oven for 35 minutes, and serve it with ice cream or whipped cream.
Not only did Harry like desserts, he and his family also enjoyed meatloaf as well. With meatloaf you take 3/4 cup of bread crumbs or oatmeal, 3/4 cup of milk, two eggs, 2 tablespoons chili sauce, 1 teaspoon of Kitchen Bouquet, 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, 1 tablespoon of bacon grease, 2 pounds of ground beef or 2 pounds of veal. Beat eggs in the bowl, add the other ingredients, then add bacon grease and bake for 45 minutes in a well-buttered pan. Put in a hot oven for a few minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees. This particular recipe makes eight servings.
Not only did Harry enjoy meatloaf, Ozark pudding, and angel food cake but he also enjoyed tuna and noodle casserole. This recipe would take one can of tuna, 1/3 package of noodles, 1 pint of milk, 2 hard-boiled eggs, 1/4 pound sharp cheese, 1/8 pound butter, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook the noodles, remove and drain. Make white sauce, add cheese and butter. Drain it and then add all ingredients and pour into a buttered casserole, and bake in a moderate oven for 30 minutes. This particular recipe serves 4.
These are the recipes you might enjoy from one of the most beloved and honored presidents of our time. Many people regard President Harry S Truman as the people’s president; it even shows from the foods he really enjoyed. He was a simple man from Independence. Another thing I would like to add is former president Harry S Truman was the first president to pardon the turkey. This particular tradition still continues to this day.