At the table with
Chester A. Arthur.

THE HISTORICAL TABLE

Arthur’s taste for a proper chop

Chester Arthur’s food story is often overshadowed by his polished social style. The Library of Congress’s culinary discussion singles out his fondness for mutton chops. A preserved 1882 letter thanking a restaurant owner for caribou adds another glimpse of his interest in substantial meat dishes.

Mutton has a fuller flavour than the lamb commonly sold today. Our recipe uses lamb loin chops as the practical substitution, seared in a hot pan and finished with butter. You can cook the cut well without recreating an entire Victorian dinner service.