Eleanor Roosevelt's Favorite Dessert Was A Depression Era Classic

In her long tenure as First Lady of the United States, Eleanor Roosevelt was known as a woman of the people — so much so that she was responsible for serving the worst food in White House history in an attempt to demonstrate budget-friendly cooking to the country. When Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency began in 1933, the U.S. was in the throes of the Great Depression, and millions were struggling to stave off starvation. 

With that grim knowledge, Eleanor and White House housekeeper Henrietta Nesbitt designed menus with cost and efficiency in mind, while taste unfortunately fell by the wayside. Still, no diet is complete without the occasional treat, and Eleanor Roosevelt's was no exception. Her favorite dessert to serve was a simple custard porridge known as hasty pudding, made from cornmeal and easily modified to fit one's time and budget. 

Hasty pudding, also known as Indian pudding, is a traditional New England recipe with roots in British colonialism, but its popularity in the Depression era is understandable. The dish can be made with just a few relatively cheap ingredients, keeping in line with Roosevelt's plan to devise meals that cost less than eight cents per diner. Plus, it has patriotic connotations, as it's made with American corn, gets a shout out in the song "Yankee Doodle," and inspired a 1793 Joel Barlow poem about freedom— perfect for lifting American spirits.

Even though it's no longer possible to make this dessert for only a few cents, it's still a tasty piece of American history worth recreating! To make hasty pudding at home, all you need is cornmeal, brown sugar, molasses, eggs, milk, and spices. Despite its name, the pudding was traditionally cooked for hours before serving, because a longer cook time leads to a smoother texture. With a base as malleable and comforting as this one, your opportunities for toppings or add-ins are endless. 

Eleanor Roosevelt supposedly favored her pudding with a heaping scoop of vanilla ice cream on top, but you could also add cocoa to the mix if chocolate's more your speed, or experiment with fruit as an add-in. While hasty pudding is a heartwarming American classic, we can't say we're as enthusiastic about trying some of the other staple dishes of the Roosevelt White House. A typical meal might have included deviled eggs with mashed potatoes and tomato sauce or a plain bread and butter sandwich. Still, when times are tough, it's nice to remember that budget-friendly meals are good enough for even the most powerful family in the world.