Abraham Lincoln
Corn pone & buttery cabbage
Fine cornmeal binds more readily than coarse polenta; the dough should be soft enough to shape with damp hands.
The sixteenth president led the country through the Civil War.
Family or White House tradition
National Park Service research traces Lincoln’s enthusiasm for gingerbread and ginger crackers. These soft cookies adapt the ginger flavour into a small, easy-to-share bake.
The president & the table
White House accounts of cook Cornelia Mitchell connect Lincoln with corn pone and cabbage. National Park Service research also traces his enthusiasm for gingerbread and ginger crackers. These simple foods offer a more personal route to his table than the elaborate menus served on state occasions.
Behind this story
White House Historical Association on Cornelia Mitchell; National Park Service on Lincoln’s gingerbread; Lincoln family cake tradition.
