Great things happen at dinner, especially when hosts wine and dine their guests. Case in point: the dinner Thomas Jefferson threw for James Madison and Alexander Hamilton on June 20, 1790, in what has come to be known as “The Room Where It Happened,” the title of the show-stopping song written by Lin-Manuel Miranda for the musical, “Hamilton.”
Miranda nailed what happened in the room where it happened, except for one key element: the menu. This is something Miranda can’t be faulted for because the menu was overlooked. No one thought to record it. Or if they did, it has yet to be found, leaving a mystery on what was served on the table the night the dinner happened that was the foundation of what historians dubbed the “Dinner Table Compromise.”
While Miranda’s lyrics include a small metaphor relating to food, “how the sausage was made,” it doesn’t hint at the menu, unless it was as an ingredient for stuffing. That is highly unlikely considering Thomas Jefferson, America’s first founding foodie, would have elevated the menu and wine pairing, giving meticulous attention to the quality of ingredients and the receipts (recipes) selected. Hamilton, in one of his rare references to food written in a letter to his wife, Eliza, after a dinner with Washington, wrote, “This beef tastes almost as good as my beef with Jefferson.”
Another source records Hamilton proclaiming the excellence of yet another Jefferson dinner, stating the beef served was a masterpiece, and vanilla ice cream served in a warm pastry was nothing short of miraculous.
While we may not know exactly was served, according to Laura Kumin, author of “The Hamilton Cookbook,” menus from both Jefferson and Washington – when Hamilton was more than likely a guest – has survived. Anyone who wants to eat like a founding father only need to thumb through the preferred and trendy recipes of the era.
Jefferson always prided himself on the table he set and the wines he served, which were made possible by his chef, James Hemmings. Hemmings, an enslaved African American, traveled to Paris with Jefferson where he mastered the art of French cooking. Hemmings brought back recipes and techniques to Monticello, which in turn redefined the American table, and allowed Jefferson to introduce such specialties to his guests as macaroni and cheese, French fries and ice cream.
I recommend cooking up your own Hamilton dinner for your circle of friends before taking in a performance of “Hamilton,” which continues through May 15 at The Fabulous Fox. Plan on making this updated 18th-century Boeuf (Beef) a al Mode. Consider it an upscale beef stew that I’m certain Hamilton would have enjoyed. As for the ice cream – grab a cup of Clementine’s during intermission. Go for the vanilla – the flavor Jefferson would have served.
BEEF A LA MODE
3-1/2 pounds top round beef roast
1 cup chopped onion
4-5 sprigs parsley, chopped
Salt and black pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
6 sliced of bacon
3 small onions, sliced in half
3 carrots, cut into 4-inch pieces
1/2 cup brandy
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup beef broth
Using a paper towel, dry beef. In a small bowl combine the chopped onion, parsley, salt, pepper, nutmeg and thyme. In the bottom of a large Dutch place four slices of bacon. Sprinkle with half the onion/herb mixture. Place beef on top of bacon. Lay the remaining bacon over the top of the beef and sprinkle with the remaining onion/herb mixture. Add in sliced onions and carrots, and season with more salt and pepper, to taste. For more flavor, additional thyme and nutmeg can also be added (about a teaspoon each). Pour brandy, wine and beef stock around the roast. Place over a medium-high heat and bring wine/broth to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for three hours, or until beef is tender. When ready to serve, discard bacon, and allow beef to slightly cool before slicing. Pan juices can be thickened slightly by whisking in a tablespoon of cornstarch that has been mixed in two tablespoons of water. Cook until juices thicken. Serve with the vegetables, and if desired, roasted or boiled small potatoes.
