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Presidents/Martin Van Buren

AT THE TABLE WITH MARTIN VAN BUREN

White House kitchen-garden supper

Keep the beets separate while roasting so every vegetable keeps its own colour.

Dinner55 minServes 4
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White House kitchen-garden supper — a painted table
A painted table · Serving illustration

THE STORY ON YOUR PLATE

A political attack left us a vegetable list

More about Martin Van Buren →

The eighth president grew up in New York’s Dutch-speaking world.

Historical reconstruction

The vegetables listed in the 1840 attack on Van Buren’s White House garden provide this supper’s ingredients. Roasted roots, cabbage and peas turn the surviving produce list into a seasonal meal.

The president & the table

In 1840, Congressman Charles Ogle attacked Van Buren’s supposedly extravagant White House in the “gold spoon” speech. Along the way he listed the kitchen garden’s potatoes, cabbages, beets, peas, carrots, parsnips and berries.

Behind this story

White House Historical Association, “White House Vegetable Gardens”; Charles Ogle’s speech of 14 April 1840.

APRON ON. HISTORY CAN WAIT.

Make it at home.

Serves 4

What you’ll need

Let’s make it

  1. Heat the oven to 200°C / 400°F. Toss potatoes, carrots and parsnips with 2 tablespoons oil and half the salt. Spread on a large tray.

  2. Toss beets separately with the remaining oil and a pinch of salt. Put them at one end of the tray or on a second small tray. Roast vegetables for 35–45 minutes, turning once, until tender.

  3. Meanwhile, melt half the butter in a covered saucepan. Add cabbage, 3 tablespoons water and the remaining salt. Cover and cook gently for 12–15 minutes. Stir in peas and cook for another 4–5 minutes.

  4. Finish roasted vegetables with the remaining butter, parsley and pepper. Add vinegar to cabbage and peas. Serve the vegetables together on warm plates.

Cooking notes

Metric and US measures are approximate equivalents. For baking, use weights when you can.