Presidential Appetite

Have you ever wondered what the founding fathers craved while they were laying the foundations of the United States?

What culinary treat kept them going? Filled their minds and bellies and fueled them through our nations birthing pains?

Today we’re going to be taking a look into the eating habits of America’s Father, General George Washington.

Was he a man of extravagant tastes and appetite?

Or did he prefer the simpler meals of his time.

Stick around to find out in this week’s blog all about Food, Culture and History.

A Simple Breakfast for a Complex Man

For all his power, wealth, and status, George Washington’s everyday tastes were surprisingly humble.

While he entertained dignitaries with impressive dinners, his personal preferences leaned toward plain, hearty, and familiar foods that reflected his Virginia roots and the rhythms of life at Mount Vernon.

One dish in particular stood out so strongly that his own step‑granddaughter remembered it clearly decades later: hoecakes, cornmeal griddle cakes that he “invariably” ate for breakfast.

Hoecakes were simple—just cornmeal, water, a little yeast, and fat for cooking—but they were also deeply symbolic. They connected Washington’s table to the land he cultivated, the grains he milled, and the labor (much of it enslaved) that sustained his estate. When we make his hoecakes today, we’re not just recreating a recipe; we’re touching a small, everyday piece of the first president’s life.

What Exactly Are Hoecakes?

Hoecakes are thin, rustic cornmeal cakes cooked on a hot, greased surface. In the 18th century, they could be baked on a flat griddle, a pan, or even the back of a hoe held near a fire—hence the name. They’re cousins to modern pancakes and johnnycakes, but a little heartier and more rustic in texture.At Mount Vernon, Washington’s hoecakes were typically:

Made from white cornmeal.

Leavened with yeast and left to sit overnight.

Cooked on a greased griddle.

Served hot at breakfast with plenty of butter and honey.

According to his step‑granddaughter, Nelly Custis Lewis, these hoecakes weren’t an occasional treat. They were a regular part of his morning table—part habit, part comfort, and part reflection of the grain‑based economy he presided over.

Nelly Custis’s Legacy: The Family Recipe

The version of the recipe that we know today comes to us through Nelly Custis Lewis, who grew up in Washington’s household and later shared how his favorite hoecakes were prepared. Culinary historians and the team at Mount Vernon have adapted her description into a workable modern recipe that still captures the spirit of the original.

The key details she preserved:

• The batter began with cornmeal and yeast.

• It was mixed with water into a loose batter and left to stand overnight.

• In the morning, more cornmeal and ingredients were added to make a thick, griddle‑ready batter.

• The cakes were cooked in fat on a hot surface and served with butter and honey at breakfast.

That overnight rest is important. It gives the hoecakes a delicate lift and a subtle fermented flavor, transforming simple cornmeal into something soft, fragrant, and special enough to have a permanent place on Washington’s breakfast table.

How to Make George Washington’s Hoecakes at Home

Here’s a modern, kitchen‑friendly version inspired by Nelly Custis’s description and later historical adaptations. It keeps the core technique: a yeast‑raised cornmeal batter, rested overnight, then cooked on a hot, greased griddle and served with melted butter and honey.

Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast

2 1/2 cups white cornmeal, divided

3 to 4 cups lukewarm water

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Lard, shortening, or neutral oil for the griddle

Melted butter, for serving

Honey (or maple syrup), for serving

Step 1: Make the Overnight Sponge

The night before you plan to serve the hoecakes:

In a large bowl, combine the yeast and 1 1/4 cups of the cornmeal.

Stir in about 1 cup of lukewarm water to form a loose, pancake‑like batter. If it’s too thick, add up to 1/2 cup more water.

Cover the bowl and let it rest overnight. You can leave it in the fridge or in a slightly warm spot.

By morning, the surface should look a bit bubbly and active—that’s your sign the yeast has been working.

Step 2: Finish the Batter

In the morning, stir the sponge and add 1/2 to 1 cup lukewarm water to loosen it to a thick batter again.

Add the salt and the beaten egg, and mix well.

Gradually add the remaining 1 1/4 cups cornmeal, alternating with small splashes of water as needed, until you have a batter similar to thick waffle batter—pourable, but not runny.

Cover and let the batter rest for 15–20 minutes at room temperature so the cornmeal can fully hydrate.

Step 3: Cook the Hoecakes

Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium to medium‑high heat.

Lightly grease the surface with lard, shortening, or oil.

Ladle the batter onto the hot griddle in about 1/4‑cup portions, leaving space between each cake.

Cook for about 4–5 minutes, until the edges look set and the bottoms are golden brown.

Flip carefully and cook another 4–5 minutes, until browned and cooked through.

Transfer finished hoecakes to a warm oven (around 200°F) while you cook the rest.

Step 4: Serve Like Washington

To finish them the way George Washington liked:

Brush the hot hoecakes with melted butter.

Drizzle generously with honey.

Serve immediately for breakfast with tea or coffee. For an extra‑historical touch, imagine yourself at Mount Vernon, sharing a morning table where politics, plantation life, and the birth of a new nation quietly mingled over simple corn cakes and sweet honey.

What These Hoecakes Tell Us About Food, Culture, and Power

On the surface, this is just a breakfast recipe. But when we look closer, Washington’s hoecakes reveal a layered story about food and culture in early America.

They reflect the importance of corn as a staple grain in the colonies and the early United States.

They show how European tastes and techniques (yeast‑raised batters, griddle cooking) were blended with Indigenous ingredients like maize.

They highlight the central role of estates like Mount Vernon—self‑sufficient worlds where gardens, orchards, fields, mills, and enslaved labor all feed the household table.

By recreating this recipe today, we’re not just tasting what Washington ate—we’re tasting a piece of the world he lived in: the comfort of familiar food, the reliance on the land, and the quiet rituals that supported a life spent in public leadership.

Bringing History to Your Table

Cooking historic recipes is one of my favorite ways to make the past feel tangible. A speech or a document can feel distant, but a plate of warm hoecakes drizzled with honey? That’s something you can hold, smell, and taste. It’s a sensory connection to people who lived, worked, and made decisions that still shape our lives.

If you decide to try George Washington’s hoecakes in your own kitchen, pay attention to how they make you feel: Are they comforting? Rustic? Surprisingly familiar? That small moment at your breakfast table echoes mornings at Mount Vernon more than two centuries ago.

And if you enjoyed this dive into food, culture, and history, stay tuned—there are many more stories hiding in the recipes of the past, just waiting to be brought back to life, one dish at a time.