FOOD NEWS
The Strange Ingredients Eleanor Roosevelt Paired With Deviled Eggs
BY SHELBY SHAW NEWMAN
During first lady Eleanor Roosevelt’s time at the White House, some rather unusual foods were served at meal times, including deviled eggs with tomato sauce and mashed potatoes.
As a woman of the people, Roosevelt insisted that the White House menu feature the kind of cheap and convenient provisions consumed by everyday Americans during wartime.
The first kitchen began churning out meals with popular ingredients that pinched pennies, which led to the strange dish of deviled eggs, tomato sauce, and mashed potatoes.
Eggs were a protein-rich staple at the time of Roosevelt's tenure, and to add even more substance, mashed potatoes were often included on the side.
If this sounds rather bland for a midday meal at the president's house, that's where tomato sauce comes in to give the dish a lift of flavor, if only by a little bit.