- Joined
- May 12, 2010
- Location
- Now Florida but always a Kentuckian
Since the Presidential Cookie Bake-Off Thread has been so popular, thought I would post one on the favorite recipes of First Ladies, starting with Martha Washington. Some presidents were not married or widowers and had others serve as their hostess, so will try to post their recipes too.
Martha Dandridge Custis Washington was born on June 21, 1731 in New Kent County, Va. She was daughter of Frances Jones Dandridge and Colonel John Dandridge. She was first married to Daniel Parke Custis in June , 1749. They had four children. He died in July, 1757.
Martha married George Washington, our first president, on January 6, 1759 at the Custis Estate. Mrs. Washington was a very accomplished woman. Even though she had servants she developed her own recipes and instructed them in how to prepare the dishes. She directed hospitality at Mount Vernon and later at the White House, which never was in Washington as not completed at that time. Over the years her recipe list grew.
Martha compiled a cooking scrapbook for more than 50 years. In 1799 she passed it to her granddaughter, Eleanor Parker Custis, as a wedding gift. It stayed in the family until 1892 when it was presented to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, where it remains. Mrs. Washington died on May 22, 1802, 2 years and 159 days after her husband, George Washington.
George Washington loved Martha's dishes. One of his favorites was her Whisky Cake.
Martha Washington's Whisky Cake (recreated)
Makes 1 round or 2 standard loaves. Follow the directions for either the recipe of your favorite spice cake or box mix and add the following.
1 cup of raisins
1 cup slivered almonds
1 cup dried cherries
1 cup of candied orange peel, chopped small
2 teaspoons powdered cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon powdered cloves
Pre heat the oven to 325 degrees. Spray a round tube pan with non-stick spray or line 2 9" x 5" x 2" loaf pans with Baker's Parchment. Mix all ingredients together and pour into the prepared baking pans. Bake for 1 hour or until a slim bamboo skewer inserted into the center of each pan comes out clean. Remove from the oven and place on wire racks to cool. When cool, remove from the pans and wrap in clean natural fiber cloths. An old tea towel or piece of muslin is good. Pour about a quarter of a cup of bourbon over each cake and store in an air tight container. Continue the aging process by pouring a bit more bourbon over the cloths every three or four days for about two weeks before using. These cakes may be kept for months.
Note: Martha Washington was renowned for her Whisky Cake and it was a favorite of Georges. Martha's cake would not have been leavened with baking powder or baking soda. Neither came into use until the middle of the 19th century. Her cake would have been leavened with yeast, egg whites or hearts horn, (baker's ammonia).
From: http://www.thequestingfeast.com/recipes/a-h/Cake_Whisky_Martha_Washington.html
Biographical information from: "Facts About the Presidents" Joseph Nathan Kane, Janet Podell and Steven Anzovin.
Remember a Civil War connection : Mrs. Robert E. Lee ( Mary Ann Custis) was descended from Martha. Her father, George Washington Parke Custis, known as Wash, was George Washington's stepgrandson. George Washington gave Wash a piece of land on the Potomac River where Wash Custis built a mansion called Arlington. It eventually passed to Mary Ann and her husband, army officer Robert E. Lee. During the Civil War, while Lee was commanding the armies of the Confederacy, the property was confiscated by the Union Army; the mansion was used as a headquarters and the surrounding parkland as a burial ground. The estate is now Arlington National Cemetery.
Martha Dandridge Custis Washington was born on June 21, 1731 in New Kent County, Va. She was daughter of Frances Jones Dandridge and Colonel John Dandridge. She was first married to Daniel Parke Custis in June , 1749. They had four children. He died in July, 1757.
Martha married George Washington, our first president, on January 6, 1759 at the Custis Estate. Mrs. Washington was a very accomplished woman. Even though she had servants she developed her own recipes and instructed them in how to prepare the dishes. She directed hospitality at Mount Vernon and later at the White House, which never was in Washington as not completed at that time. Over the years her recipe list grew.
Martha compiled a cooking scrapbook for more than 50 years. In 1799 she passed it to her granddaughter, Eleanor Parker Custis, as a wedding gift. It stayed in the family until 1892 when it was presented to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, where it remains. Mrs. Washington died on May 22, 1802, 2 years and 159 days after her husband, George Washington.
George Washington loved Martha's dishes. One of his favorites was her Whisky Cake.
Martha Washington's Whisky Cake (recreated)
Makes 1 round or 2 standard loaves. Follow the directions for either the recipe of your favorite spice cake or box mix and add the following.
1 cup of raisins
1 cup slivered almonds
1 cup dried cherries
1 cup of candied orange peel, chopped small
2 teaspoons powdered cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon powdered cloves
Pre heat the oven to 325 degrees. Spray a round tube pan with non-stick spray or line 2 9" x 5" x 2" loaf pans with Baker's Parchment. Mix all ingredients together and pour into the prepared baking pans. Bake for 1 hour or until a slim bamboo skewer inserted into the center of each pan comes out clean. Remove from the oven and place on wire racks to cool. When cool, remove from the pans and wrap in clean natural fiber cloths. An old tea towel or piece of muslin is good. Pour about a quarter of a cup of bourbon over each cake and store in an air tight container. Continue the aging process by pouring a bit more bourbon over the cloths every three or four days for about two weeks before using. These cakes may be kept for months.
Note: Martha Washington was renowned for her Whisky Cake and it was a favorite of Georges. Martha's cake would not have been leavened with baking powder or baking soda. Neither came into use until the middle of the 19th century. Her cake would have been leavened with yeast, egg whites or hearts horn, (baker's ammonia).
From: http://www.thequestingfeast.com/recipes/a-h/Cake_Whisky_Martha_Washington.html
Biographical information from: "Facts About the Presidents" Joseph Nathan Kane, Janet Podell and Steven Anzovin.
Remember a Civil War connection : Mrs. Robert E. Lee ( Mary Ann Custis) was descended from Martha. Her father, George Washington Parke Custis, known as Wash, was George Washington's stepgrandson. George Washington gave Wash a piece of land on the Potomac River where Wash Custis built a mansion called Arlington. It eventually passed to Mary Ann and her husband, army officer Robert E. Lee. During the Civil War, while Lee was commanding the armies of the Confederacy, the property was confiscated by the Union Army; the mansion was used as a headquarters and the surrounding parkland as a burial ground. The estate is now Arlington National Cemetery.