- Joined
- May 12, 2010
- Location
- Now Florida but always a Kentuckian
As I wrote in first thread on these Presidential Ladies, I needed to start another thread as the one was getting so long. I am starting this one with Julia Boggs Dent Grant, wife of the 18th President of the United States, Ulysses Simpson Grant ( whose name at birth was Hiram Ulysses Grant).
Julia Dent Grant was born on Jan. 26, 1826 in St. Louis, Mo. She married Grant on August 22, 1848 in St. Louis. They had four children, Frederick Dent Grant (1850-1912), Ulysses Simpson Grant (1852-1929), Ellen Wrenshall (Nellie) Grant (1855-1922), and Jesse Root Grant (1858-1934).
Julia Dent Grant was very much admired as a White House hostess. In keeping with the fashion of the time, her dinners often extended to 29 courses. She also did some decorating in the White House to bring it up to the fashion of the times.
Mrs. Grant had many recipes. I have posted on them before in this forum. But it is written, that her husband's favorite was Rice Pudding with Lemon Sauce. Actually it is written he was a "maniac for it".
When Grant entered the White House, he brought with him a cook who was a quartermaster from the Army. This cook thought it was perfectly adequate that if you had a small turkey for the family, that all you had to do was have a large turkey for a huge dinner party. Mrs. Grant did not think this was adequate. She replaced him with an Italian chef who had special talent for preparing opulent banquets. Her parties and dinners were the talk of Washington.
Recipe for Rice Pudding Melah
3/4 cup long-grain rice
1 1/2 quarts milk
3 tablespoons butter
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons grated lemon peel
1/2 cup silvered almonds
Simmer rice and milk slowly until the rice is soft. Stir in butter and lemon peel, remove from the stove and cool. Beat the eggs and sugar well and fold them into the rice mixture. Pour the mixture into a large baking pan, top with slivered almonds, and bake at 325 degrees until the custard sets, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
This may be served either warm or cold, with a topping of Lemon sauce.
Lemon Sauce:
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup boiling water
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
3 tablespoons lemon juice.
Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt, stir in water gradually. Cook, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes. Blend in remaining ingredients. Pour atop the rice pudding.
This recipe makes 8 servings
Julia Dent Grant died on December 14, 1902, at age 76 in Washington, D.C. She is buried in New York, New York next to her husband in Grant's Tomb.
Note: As we all know Grant was General in U.S. Army during the Civil War. He later served as Secretary of War for Johnson, and then became President for 2 terms, March 4, 1869-March 4, 1877.
Recipe from: "Not the Only Lemon Lover: A Couple of Recipes from Ulysses S. Grant". from Emerging Civil War.
Biographical information from: "Facts About the Presidents", by Joseph Nathan Kane, Janet Podell, Steven Anzovin, The H. W. Wilson Company, Bronx, New York, 2001. Pages 197-198.
Julia Dent Grant was born on Jan. 26, 1826 in St. Louis, Mo. She married Grant on August 22, 1848 in St. Louis. They had four children, Frederick Dent Grant (1850-1912), Ulysses Simpson Grant (1852-1929), Ellen Wrenshall (Nellie) Grant (1855-1922), and Jesse Root Grant (1858-1934).
Julia Dent Grant was very much admired as a White House hostess. In keeping with the fashion of the time, her dinners often extended to 29 courses. She also did some decorating in the White House to bring it up to the fashion of the times.
Mrs. Grant had many recipes. I have posted on them before in this forum. But it is written, that her husband's favorite was Rice Pudding with Lemon Sauce. Actually it is written he was a "maniac for it".
When Grant entered the White House, he brought with him a cook who was a quartermaster from the Army. This cook thought it was perfectly adequate that if you had a small turkey for the family, that all you had to do was have a large turkey for a huge dinner party. Mrs. Grant did not think this was adequate. She replaced him with an Italian chef who had special talent for preparing opulent banquets. Her parties and dinners were the talk of Washington.
Recipe for Rice Pudding Melah
3/4 cup long-grain rice
1 1/2 quarts milk
3 tablespoons butter
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons grated lemon peel
1/2 cup silvered almonds
Simmer rice and milk slowly until the rice is soft. Stir in butter and lemon peel, remove from the stove and cool. Beat the eggs and sugar well and fold them into the rice mixture. Pour the mixture into a large baking pan, top with slivered almonds, and bake at 325 degrees until the custard sets, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
This may be served either warm or cold, with a topping of Lemon sauce.
Lemon Sauce:
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup boiling water
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
3 tablespoons lemon juice.
Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt, stir in water gradually. Cook, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes. Blend in remaining ingredients. Pour atop the rice pudding.
This recipe makes 8 servings
Julia Dent Grant died on December 14, 1902, at age 76 in Washington, D.C. She is buried in New York, New York next to her husband in Grant's Tomb.
Note: As we all know Grant was General in U.S. Army during the Civil War. He later served as Secretary of War for Johnson, and then became President for 2 terms, March 4, 1869-March 4, 1877.
Recipe from: "Not the Only Lemon Lover: A Couple of Recipes from Ulysses S. Grant". from Emerging Civil War.
Biographical information from: "Facts About the Presidents", by Joseph Nathan Kane, Janet Podell, Steven Anzovin, The H. W. Wilson Company, Bronx, New York, 2001. Pages 197-198.