The Classic Dessert President Calvin Coolidge Liked To Spike With Pork

Calvin Coolidge, the 30th President of the United States, was known for his quiet demeanor and dry sense of humor, famously earning the moniker "Silent Cal." He was also known for his eccentricities, such as having a pet raccoon, which was originally supposed to be part of Thanksgiving dinner. He also liked to give his apple pie a savory upgrade by adding pieces of salt pork.

Beyond being a man of few words, Coolidge enjoyed life's simple pleasures, including a piece of good old American apple pie. It's quite possible Coolidge enjoyed it frequently as a New Englander due to the plentiful apples in the region. In addition to being a classic dessert featured at White House dinners, the pie can also be seen as a symbol of Coolidge's upbringing where hard work eventually led him to the presidency. But what's the deal with the salt pork in his apple pie recipe?

This salty pork cut comes from pork belly like bacon but is usually not smoked and is saltier than bacon because it is cured longer. Salt pork adds a soft, velvety texture when cooked, which blends in with the warm apples and spices when cooked in a pie. It should be noted that Coolidge's preferred recipe calls for 10 tiny pieces of salt pork, so it's likely he wanted the salt pork flavor to compliment the apples rather than overpower them.

As a classic staple of American cuisine, apple pie has numerous flavor possibilities beyond Calvin Coolidge's favorite recipe. Here are a few more unusual apple pie combinations worth trying.

For those who want to take inspiration from the former president's recipe, bacon can be an easy addition to an apple pie recipe. While sprinkling bacon pieces into a pie dish before baking can infuse smoky, savory flavors, some recipes take bacon to the next level by weaving it into apple pie's familiar lattice cover. The sweet and tangy taste of the apples is balanced by the saltiness of the bacon and the lattice top adds a bacon-y crunch.

Another savory Southern favorite involves topping a piece of warm apple pie with a slice of cheese (usually sharp cheddar). While it may raise eyebrows, it's a combo that goes back at least four centuries and offers warm sweetness against the sharpness of the cheese. Another way to incorporate cheese is to add it right into the pie mix, where the cheese adds a savory flavor but also contributes to a melty and buttery soft texture.

A more adult take on classic apple pie involves making a three-ingredient buttery rum sauce to incorporate into the pie mixture and drizzle over the top. Beyond the obvious addition of alcohol, the rum has a butterscotchy flavor that adds to the richness of the pie, and the addition of spices offers the same enjoyment as a glass of hot buttered rum.