Thomas Jefferson's Cook Book

Old Cookbook Reveals …

“Amazing Details of Jefferson’s Dining Habits”

Jefferson set sail for France in 1784 as Minister to the Court of Louis XVI.

The cuisine of France, which he was to discover, was a joy and a revelation to him.

During the four years he lived in Paris... Jefferson devoted himself to the intricacies of French cooking. The most precious recipes of his French kitchen were carefully copied in his own hand and brought back to the United States.

When Jefferson returned to America, he came not only as a distinguished statesman, but as one of the greatest epicures and connoisseurs in the art of fine dining of his day.

The choicest delicacies of two continents now made their appearance on his table... the finest wines were imported from France, Spain, and Italy... all personally supervised by Jefferson.

The recipes for these delicious ices, tender cakes, superlative ragouts and marvelous coffees were preserved in Jefferson’s personal cookbook.

Jefferson’s little granddaughter, Virginia Randolph carefully copied the recipes he brought back from France, as well as additional ones from friends and the various cooks and stewards who worked at different times, at Monticello and the White House.

The one-of-a-kind cookbook was handed down for generations from mother to daughter as a priceless possession.

In the late 1930s, Fanny M. Burke... great-great granddaughter of Jefferson... presented the book to the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation shortly before her death. Ms. Burke joined with the Foundation in giving noted historian, Marie Kimball permission to prepare it for publication.

Mrs. Kimball fully adapted Thomas Jefferson’s Cook Book to practical, modern use.

All the recipes were proportioned to our current practice of a formula for serving six people.

Each recipe has been tested. It is not only correct, but tastes great!

Thomas Jefferson’s Cook Book by Marie Kimball was published in 1938. It has now, of course, long been out-of-print.

An Ohio publisher, however, has recently made special arrangements to reprint a limited edition of Thomas Jefferson’s Cook Book.