J.1 Senate Food Service Historical Menu Items with Recipes.pdf
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Architect of the Capitol
About this file
This document is an informational attachment containing historical recipes from the United States Senate food service operations. The attachment includes three traditional menu items with detailed preparation instructions: Senate Restaurant Bean Soup, Poultry Pie, and Bread Pudding.
The Bean Soup section provides historical context regarding the origin of the Senate's century-old tradition of serving bean soup daily, attributing the mandate to either Senator Fred Dubois of Idaho or Senator Knute Nelson of Minnesota in the early 1900s. Two distinct recipes are presented: a standard recipe yielding eight servings using 2 pounds of dried navy beans, smoked ham hocks, and basic seasonings; and a 5-gallon batch recipe attributed to Dubois that includes mashed potatoes and additional vegetables such as celery, garlic, and parsley. The Poultry Pie recipe describes a preparation method involving cooking whole chicken with aromatics and herbs, then creating a sauce using roux and diced vegetables. The Bread Pudding recipe includes two components: the main pudding prepared with eggs, sugars, butter, heavy cream, day-old bread, and raisins, baked until golden brown and yielding 6-8 servings; and an accompanying Butter Vanilla Sauce made from eggs, sugars, butter, flour, vanilla, heavy cream, and nutmeg. This document does not address products or services required under a federal contract.
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Attachment J.1
Senate Food Service Historical Menu Items with Recipes
Senate Restaurant Bean Soup
Bean soup has been a required and beloved menu tradition in Senate restaurants for more than a century. There are competing stories about the origin of the mandate that bean soup be served daily. According to one story, the Senate’s bean soup tradition began early in the 20th century at the request of Senator Fred Dubois of Idaho, who as chair of the committee overseeing the Senate Restaurant, passed a resolution in the committee requiring that bean soup be on the menu daily. Another story attributes the request to Senator Knute Nelson of Minnesota, who expressed his fondness for the soup in 1903 and insisted that it be on the menu each day.
The recipe attributed to Dubois includes mashed potatoes and makes a 5-gallon batch. The recipe served in the Senate today does not include mashed potatoes but does include a braised onion. Both Senate recipes are below.
Bean Soup Recipe:
2 pounds dried navy beans 4 quarts hot water 1 1/2 pounds smoked ham hocks 1 onion, chopped 2 tablespoons butter salt and pepper to taste
Wash the navy beans and run hot water through them until they are slightly whitened. Place beans into pot with hot water. Add ham hocks and simmer approximately three hours in a covered pot, stirring occasionally.
Remove ham hocks and set aside to cool. Dice meat and return to soup. Lightly brown the onion in butter. Add to soup. Before serving, bring to a boil and season with salt and pepper. Serves 8.
Bean Soup Recipe (for 5 gallons):
3 pounds dried navy beans 2 pounds of ham and a ham bone 1 quart mashed potatoes 5 onions, chopped 2 stalks of celery, chopped 4 cloves garlic, chopped half a bunch of parsley, chopped
Clean the beans, then cook them dry. Add ham, bone, and water and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and mix thoroughly. Add chopped vegetables and bring to a boil. Simmer for one hour before serving.
https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/D000509 https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/N000040
Senate Food Service Historical Food Items with Recipes
Attachment J.1
POULTRY PIE
Cook whole chicken in water, chicken base, celery, onions, carrots, thyme, and rosemary.
When chicken is cooked, take chicken out and set aside, strain liquid and use as your base for the poultry pie.
When the chicken is cool, pull meat from the bones, set aside.
Make a roux (flour and butter) add chicken liquid and let it get thick.
Once you establish your flavor add small diced celery/ onions and the pulled chicken. Adjust your flavor.
BREAD PUDDING
Bread Pudding Recipe:
3 Eggs, Beaten 1 ½ Cups White Sugar 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar 1 Tablespoon Vanilla ½ Teaspoon Nutmeg
½ Stick Butter, Melted 3 Cups Heavy Cream 4 Cups Cubed Day-Old White Bread 3/4 Cup Raisins Yellow Food Coloring (Optional)
Combine eggs, sugars, vanilla and nutmeg. Add melted butter, heavy cream and a dash of food coloring and mix well. Stir in cubed bread and raisins and let stand 10 to 15 minutes. Pour into a well-greased deep dish or casserole-type baking dish. Bake at 375° for 45 to 60 minutes, until golden brown. Combine all ingredients in a double boiler. Cook, stirring, until thickened. Serve warm, topped with Butter Vanilla Sauce.
Makes 6 - 8 servings.
Butter Vanilla Sauce:
l Egg, Beaten 3 Tablespoons Brown Sugar ½ Cup White Sugar 2 Tablespoons Butter, Melted
1 Tablespoon Flour 1 Teaspoon Vanilla 1 ¼ Cups Heavy Cream Dash of Nutmeg
| Senate Restaurant Bean Soup |
| Bean Soup Recipe: |
| Bean Soup Recipe (for 5 gallons): |
| POULTRY PIE |
| BREAD PUDDING |
| Butter Vanilla Sauce: |
File details come from the government source that posted it. Updated .