The Classic Dessert Henry Fonda Loved So Much And Requested In His Final Days

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Henry Fonda has quite the legacy, and we aren't just talking about being a war hero and an Academy Award-winning actor. Fonda was also known to whip up some delicious meals, many of which were hearty Midwestern staples that harken to his Nebraska roots. Any savory meal should be followed by a sweet treat. And the classic dessert Henry Fonda loved so much that he requested it during his final days is a root beer float.

As reported in an interview conducted by NPR with Susan Stamburg, host of NPR's "All Things Considered" and Scott Eyman, author of "Hank & Jim: The Fifty-Year Friendship of Henry Fonda and James Stewart," Fonda asked best friend James Stewart for a root beer float during his final days in the hospital when he dying from heart disease. Both war heroes and award-winning actors, James Stewart and Henry Fonda were first roommates upon arriving to Hollywood and remained best friends throughout their illustrious careers.

According to Stamburg, "In 1982, his last year, Fonda was in and out of the hospital. Jimmy Stewart visited him every day." During one visit to Fonda's bedside, Stewart sat beside his sleeping friend, when, said Eyman, "Fonda opened his eyes and said, 'well, where's my root beer float?' And at that point they knew he was going to live because Fonda was very serious about root beer floats." If ever there was a reason to keep living, a creamy, root beer float is one we can get behind.

You can honor Henry Fonda by whipping up your own root beer float at home. The simple extra step that makes a better root beer float every time is to keep all of your ingredients properly chilled during the assembly process. Of course, a chilled glass is yet another element to ensure your root beer float will taste even better. You could also put a dirty soda twist on the root beer float by swapping ice cream for marshmallow syrup and half and half. You can further enjoy your culinary homage to Henry Fonda by preparing one of his favorite meals.

Fonda's favorite chicken dish, Chicken Fonda, dredges your favorite chicken parts in a seasoning mixture of milk, butter, mustard, honey, curry powder and salt before baking for an hour or so. Another Fonda favorite is Swedish meatballs, featuring a recipe in the cookbook "Supper with the Stars" by Vincent Price. The recipe calls for a blend of beef and veal with salt, pepper, cinnamon, and eggs served in a creamy, aromatic milk sauce. Vincent Price's cookbook also includes yet another of Fonda's favorite meals, spare ribs with sauerkraut, which is a simple, hands-off recipe that simmers the spare ribs with salt and pepper, serving it with premade sauerkraut adorned with sliced apples. You can find plenty of delicious sauerkraut brands in our taste test and ranking.