One Of President Grover Cleveland's Favorite Meals Was Intended For His Staff

Most people would love to have a private chef cooking them fancy, upscale meals at all hours of the day. Not only would it save time and energy otherwise spent prepping meals at home, but it also would ensure that you were not eating the same simple dishes every day. Rather than whipping up a quick batch of oatmeal or eggs on toast for breakfast, you could enjoy a hearty and customized serving of grains, protein, fruits, and vegetables. But sometimes, eating elaborate meals all day can get boring. In fact, former President Grover Cleveland once switched out his curated chef meal for a classic dish that was being served to his staff.

Historian Henry F. Graff told the story in Cleveland's 2002 biography "Grover Cleveland: The American Presidents Series: The 22nd and 24th President, 1885-1889 and 1893-1897." He wrote that Cleveland had grown tired of the French food his chef, who had previously cooked for President Chester Arthur, would serve him. At one point, Cleveland wrote in a letter, "I must go to dinner, but I wish it was to eat pickled herring, Swiss cheese and a chop at Louis' instead of the French stuff I shall find." On one occasion, Cleveland ditched his meal entirely and requested it be swapped out with his servants' meal, which was corned beef and cabbage. "To the dismay of the chef, he said to Sinclair, 'Well, William, take this dinner down to the servants and bring their dinner to me.' He declared it the best food he had had for months," Graff elaborated.

Corned beef and cabbage is not just a meal that President Grover Cleveland found appetizing. Instead, it is a festive dish that is enjoyed among American Irish people in the United States. The savory meal — often eaten on New Year's Day and St. Patrick's Day — grew in popularity following the Great Famine, when over a million Irish people moved to America. Once settled, Irish immigrants were making more money in the U.S. than they had in their native country and could buy meat, oping to swap their go-to bacon and pork for corned beef, which they paired with cabbage and potatoes. As a result, the grub became associated with Irish identity, although corned beef used to be a popular export of the country before the 19th century under British rule. In Ireland, however, people had been unable to afford their specialty product, which is partly why the meal isn't considered traditional abroad.

The dish is made of salt-cured beef brisket — called "corned" from the corns of the rock salt used in the curing process — and a smattering of spices and vegetables. Oftentimes, the meat is boiled in a pot with broth and seasonings like allspice, mustard seeds, and peppercorns. When it is nearly done cooking, the cabbage, potatoes, and carrots are added to the pot until tender. The dish is then served all together. There are several ways to enhance corned beef and cabbage, such as roasting the corned beef or cabbage to add a crispy texture.