MR. GREENS "FRESH TIPS"
January 19, 2001
Our last MR. GREEN'S PUZZZZLE dealt with babies and produce: What produce item was also used as the original pacifier for babies? Boy, you would be surprised with this one. Before the potato came along, this vegetable was the "potato" of Europe. It still would be if the spud had stayed away. People loved this vegetable. They even made pie from it. And when babies cried, they could snap off the end and let beby suck on it. It wasw soft and sweet. You'll never look at this vegetable the same again. The first pacifier was...the Parsnip! This week's PUZZZZLE deals with Valentine produce: What produce item was the original Viagra? Check out the answer right here in next week's "Fresh Tips".
WHAT WOULD YOU COOK FOR THE NEXT PRESIDENT?: If Executive Chef Sarah Bishop was featured in one of those VISA card television ads, the narrator might say something like, "Global 7 1/2"" Vegetable Knife, $75. A 10" chili pot, $135. Sterling Silver Serving Platter, $285. Cooking for the next president of the United States. Priceless." Sarah has been the executive chef at the Texas Governor's mansion for the past 12 years, cooking for three different Governors. She recently talked with Mr. Greens about the food habits of our 43rd president."I have immensely enjoyed cooking for the Bush family," Sarah says. She's been cooking for them and their guests for the past 6 years. "I am absolutely going to miss the Bush family." The first questions anyone asks about George W's food habits, is of course, "Does he like broccoli?" His father helped alleviate the guilt of many broccoli haters when, as president, he declared that even his mother couldn't get him to eat broccoli. So, does the next president like broccoli, Sarah? "Well, he never requested broccoli for a meal," she confesses, "but Gov. Bush would eat whatever we put in front of him. He really liked my broccoli-cheese soup. Gee, I guess come to think of it, if we hid it under cheese, he would eat it."
Sarah Bishop started her foodservice career as part of the wait staff at Jeffrey's Restaurant, the premier white tablecloth restaurant in Austin, and a favorite of the Bush family. She wanted more hours, so the owners moved her into the kitchen, where she began her culinary career. She did a couple of events at the Governor's Mansion in the mid 80s. They liked her style. "I happened to be at the right place at the right time," she says. She now has cooked for three Governors, Clements, Richards and Bush. She is now learning the likes and dislikes of the new Texas Gov. Perry.
So what does George W. enjoy eating? "He is a huge fruit eater. He wanted a fruit salad every day, breakfast, lunch and dinner. Just plain, naked fruit salad. No dressing. He always thought that if you had really delicious fruit, you didn't need dressing. He really enjoyed a lot of varieties of salads, but he loved fruit even in his green salads, especially ruby red grapefruit and sweet oranges from Texas of course."Aside from his fad with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, Sarah says that George W. loves to grill vegetables and loves Tex-Mex, enchiladas and chili. He likes to find chili peppers in his food. "Here at the Governor's Mansion," Sarah says, "the Bush daughters actually determined a lot of what we served. My staff and I were able to serve a lot of delicious vegetarian meals to the Bush family, which he always enjoyed. They and their mom were a bit more adventurous than the governor was. Gov. Bush never really demanded anything. Well, except fruit salad."
Will Sarah be following the Bush family to the White House? "I'll be at the inauguration, but that's it," Sarah says. "I'm having too much fun here in Texas. Besides, Austin is an awesome place to live." So, Sarah, what advice would you give to the new chef at the White House? "Keep it simple for the Bush family," she says. "During the 80s and 90s, the theme in culinary circles were these complicated 52 ingredient recipes. When the Bushes came along, they liked simple food. That move to simple was a breath of fresh air for me. It elevated the status of the food we all grew up on, great meat loaf, mashed potatoes, green beans and salad. It's great American food. Uncomplicated. Simple."One thing is for sure, that with Ann Veneman most likely to be confirmed as the first woman Secretary to the USDA, perhaps there will be more California products in the White House, right alongside the Texas stars of produce. Ann Veneman, the daughter of a peach farmer in Modesto, worked at the USDA before joining the Gov. Pete Wilson administration as the state’s first Secretary to the CDFA. She has been a friend to agriculture and no doubt, will continue aggressively promoting US agriculture, and California products to the new president and his new chef at the White House.
| Throughout presidential history, food has always been important. George Washington brought his cook from Mt. Vernon, Hercules (affectionately known as Uncle Harkles) when he bacame president. The first occupant of the White House, President John Adams, had his "apple a day" in the form of hard apple cider every morning. Today food at the White House is just as important...and varied. Here are some of the favorite foods of our recent presidents: | |
| Bill Clinton: Hamburgers, chicken enchiladas, sweet potatoes | Richard NIxon: Beef Wellington, salad |
| George Bush: Broiled steak, baked potatoes | Lyndon Baines Johnson: Pedernales River Chili, beef filet mignon, spinach |
| Ronald Reagan: Broiled Swordfish with lemon butter, salsa | John F. Kennedy: Beef stroganoff |
| Jimmy Carter: Pork Chops and Cornbread | Harry S. Truman: Meatloaf with tomato sauce, tuna-noodle casserole |
| Gerald Ford: Spareribs, sauerkraut spaghetti | Franklin D. roosevelt: Boiled salmon, egg sauce |
| CLICK HERE for Mr. Green's President Bush Recipes by Sarah Bishop. | |