The George Washington Dinner, July 8, 2018 – Morris Jumel Mansion, New York City.

Do you think that dinner has the power to bring people together? Me too!

I was happy to give dinner remarks to describe a most significant dinner in American history – the first Presidential Cabinet Dinner when President and Martha Washington brought members of his first Cabinet and their families together at the Morris Jumel Mansion on July 10, 1790.

The summer of 1790 was a tumultuous time for President Washington. The founding fathers were finalizing deals, protocols and philosophies for the new nation. It was a blank canvas. There was huge difference of opinion on many issues, especially between Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson.

But Washington was a leader. He was able to bring people together. In July 1790, President and Martha Washington invited his Cabinet, wives and children to the mansion for a sightseeing tour of northern Manhattan and dinner. Today it would be called “teambuilding”.

There is no historical record of the menu. In addition to speaking, I was asked to advise on the historical dishes. The 160 diners were served dishes of the period that might have appeared on Washington’s table including fillet of salmon, layered salad, collarded pork and cherry pie. The sumptuous dinner, company and historical house setting made for a pleasurable evening.

Family Matters.

On July 10, 1790, the thirty guests included wives Martha Washington, Eliza Hamilton and Abigail Adams – remarkable women who had their own enormous influence on the formation of the new United States. At a time when common ground had to be found, I think the Washington’s knew exactly what they were doing when they included the wives and children for dinner.