Jimmy Carter Served This Unexpected Dish To Foreign Leaders At The White House

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When Jimmy Carter was sworn into office as the 39th President of the United States in January 1977, America knew it was getting a different kind of leader. Carter, a peanut farmer turned politician from Georgia, was a considered to be a D.C. outsider, which was exactly what America wanted after the chaos of the Watergate scandal (the dessert salad of the same name being of no direct relation). And while his presidential legacy is rather mixed, Carter did, ultimately, manage to bring something of his own to the White House. Not only did he exercise his forward thinking, environmentalist perspective by installing solar panels on the People's House, he also brought a keenly Southern kick to D.C. in the form of one quintessentially Southern dish: cheesy grits.

Cheese grits were a menu staple at the Carter White House, and were often served to visitors of all stripes, many of whom found an unexpected appreciation for the corn-based dish. Now, the Carters' adoration of the Southern dish didn't just extend to the breakfast table. Jimmy Carter's daughter Amy was gifted a dog during her dad's turn as president, a dog whom she named Grits.

If you're looking to recreate the Carters' cheese grits recipe, you're in luck, because the recipe was included in the 1987 "White House Family Cookbook," which was written by Henry Haller, a former White House executive chef. According to Haller's recipe, the grits served to the Carters were baked, and used a base of hominy, chicken bouillon, and four eggs (separated). The recipe also includes a fair amount of butter, milk, and a dash of the Worcestershire sauce for an intensely umami punch. 

This take on the dish is prepared as a casserole, and is more fluffy than the creamy grits made on a stovetop. It definitely isn't for everyone, and may even catch some Southerners off guard, but if you want a bite of the Carter administration — or simply want to indulge both your foodie and history nerd sensibilities — then you really ought to try this recipe. And if you're in a really vintage mood, you can follow it up with some super groovy Nixon chicken for lunch or dinner. Or, if canned soup and grits aren't your thing, you could try chugging a gallon of coffee a la Theodore Roosevelt.