8. Ben Franklin’s Suckatash
While today corn is a staple of American cuisine, in Ben Franklin’s time it was something used as animal feed. From Spoon University comes this recipe that was a favorite of our founding fathers! And don’t be afraid to add some Parmesan cheese, also a Franklin favorite from his time in Europe!
7. J. Edgar Hoover’s Cream of Chicken Soup
A devoted patron of the Mayflower men’s only bar in the 1960s, this infamous F.B.I. Director loved this recipe from his childhood. From the site Nourished Kitchen comes this Cream of Chicken Soup recipe that while fatty hits the spot!
6. Jacob Grimm’s Rüdesheimer Coffee
Hunger is a common theme in Grimm’s fairy tales with stepmothers abandoning children they can’t afford to feed. Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm grew up having a cup of coffee for breakfast and eating only 1 meal a day to make sure their younger siblings didn’t starve. From Christina’s Cucina comes this recipe that was popular in Germany while Jacob Grimm was alive, and still is today!
5. Marcel Proust’s Madeleines
From Good Food Stories comes this classic French recipe whose sea shell shape has become an iconic example of French pastry cuisine.
4. Eratosthenes’s Barley Bread
This Greek Librarian from Alexandria was the first man to measure the Earth’s circumference. He also created a method to determine prime numbers, and was a drinking buddy of Archimedes! Food back then was often used as a status symbol, and bread in particular was a popular food. From Kitchen Excavation comes this ancient recipe that introduces the modern day consumer to previously unknown flavors and textures.
3. Mao Zedong’s Red Braised Pork Belly
This recipe from the site New China was a favorite of Mao Zedong himself. Before leading the Communist rebellion, he was an assistant librarian at Peking (Beijing) University. Check out this delicious Chinese classic!
2. Giacomo Casanova’s Macaroni with Ricotta Salata
During his heyday, this legend was famous both for being a librarian as well as a lover! He insisted on having this recipe so much that he was nicknamed “The Prince of Macaroni.” From Fine Dining Lovers comes this classic dish!
1. Lewis Carrol’s Cheshire Pork Pie
This prodigy wrote 11 books on mathematics in addition to his better known fictional publications. Carrol was alive in a time when things were a bit more prim and proper. The 1834 edition of Hints on Etiquette and the Usages of Society states “You cannot use your knife or fork or teeth too quietly.” His classic novel Alice Adventures in Wonderland used Chesire cheese as the inspiration for his famous Cheshire cat! From The Vintage Cookbook Trials comes this recipe that was a classic at the time.