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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels August 2, 2004 Food & History Washington impresses Chateaubriand Jeff Cheek George Washington was a calm, confident and usually unflappable leader. Even during the darkest days of the American Revolution, he never wavered. But there was one time his courage failed him. The man who had stood toe to toe with Britain's finest general, Lord Cornwallis, believed he was overmatched. That was when he invited the world famous French gourmet and chef, Viscount Francois Auguste Rene de Chateaubriand, to dinner in the spring of 1791. Chateaubriand is remembered for Steak Chateaubriand, a special cut of meat usually served to two people. But that is just the tip of the iceberg. He followed many careers during a long and eventful life. Born in St. Malo on September 16, 1768, he died in Paris on July 4, 1848. During those 80 years, he was a diplomat who rose to the position of Foreign Minister. He was a prolific writer, publishing many books on history and philosophy. And he was a renowned gourmet who published a number of cook books, many containing his original recipes. Chateaubriand was only 23 when he toured the United States in 1791, but already well known here for a series of essays he had published praising the American revolution and the democratic system of government we had adopted. Those essays might have been the reason Washington invited him to dine. Philadelphia was the temporary capital of the nation while the federal city of Washington was being built. The president lived in a house the city of Philadelphia had rented for him. The Viscount later wrote: "The President's home was a small house built in the English style, and resembling other houses in the neighborhood, was the palace of the President of the United States. No guards, not even a footman." When he knocked on the door, a servant girl opened it. She could not handle his imposing name and title to announce him. Finally, she said, "Walk in," and ran to fetch the president. For his part, Washington had spent hours with his Afro-American cook, Susie Willow, planning the dishes to be served to the visiting Frenchman. He feared his guest would compare American fare with the haute cuisine of his own country and he wanted to impress the famous gourmet. The menu for the dinner (actually lunch, as this was the common term for the midday meal in the South) has survived. The soup course was a rich crabmeat bisque. The main course as Holy Chicken, a baked hen using a recipe the crusaders had brought back from the Holy Land, 700 years earlier. Dessert was vanilla cream, one of Martha Washington's special recipes. They ate buttered Mount Vernon bread; white bread seasoned with caraway seeds and tiny onion chips. The digestif was another of Martha's specialties: Rum that had been steeped for four days in crushed walnuts. Chateaubriand was lavish in his praise of the meal. He told Washington that he had never had a finer meal. Although Chateaubriand is remembered for the steak that bears his name he also created a new meatloaf. Meatloaf Chateaubriand is too dry for my taste, but I did not dare tamper with the original recipe Ingredients 1 pound ground meat 1 teaspoon nutmeg Salt and pepper to taste 2 eggs, well beaten 1 medium onion, chopped 1 cup minute oatmeal Preparation Mix ground meat with spices, set aside. Beat eggs, stir in onion and oatmeal, then mix well with meat. Turn into buttered loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees until done, about 40 minutes. DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams