Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1886-12-24
President Tyler.
THE WAY THE EARLIER VIRGINIA PRES.
IDERTs BOUGHT THEIR WINES.

Gen. John Tyler, the son of the Presi-
den5, who was his fathers private secre-
tary while he was in the White House and
who still lives at Washington. has given
me some interesting facts regarding the
twag the early Virginia Presidents bought
their wines. Said he: my fathers cellars
were always full of choice wines and
liquors, all of which he imported himself,
as was the custom of the old Virginia fam
lilies of his day. His brandy he bought at
who was noted wine dealer forty years
ago. 1t cost 81 gallon and was of qua
lily which you could now hardly get for
500 bottle. His rum was imported for
him in the same way from Santa Cruz;
and his Madeira, which was the staple
wine of the time, was brought from the
Island of Madeira il the way common
among the old Virginia planters. Every
year my father would set aside ten or
twelve acres for Madeira corn. This Was
short cared, pearly grained variety noted
for its hardness. 1t was the only kind OF
corn at that day which would stand the
long shipment across the ocean. Each of
these acres would produce from fifty to a
hundred bushels Of corn. When it was
harvested it would be sent TO a ship which
anumber Of the planters. such as Chief
Justice Marshall and others, had charter
eli TO carry their corn to Madeira. at the
island this corn would be exchanged for
wine, the rate being one busheI of corn to
a gallon Of wine, and the wine would be
brought back in the same ship to Virgil.
MIA. 1t came to US in barrels or pipes and
we bottled it at home.
president Tyler was light eater, y
often ate nothing at dinner but piece OF
toast, cup of hot water tea and slice Of
beef or ham. We always made our own
ham, and the Virginia ham of those days
was the finest in the world. Great care
was exercised as to the breeding Of the
-. Aor the first summer and fall they
were allowed TO run wild in the woods,
with little corn in the evening and the
morning to beach them the call of their
masters During the first winter they
were fed on corn, but were still kept out
in the woods in the daytime. though care
fully housed and bedded at night.
THE FINAL FATTENING.
1.-THE second fall, when they were about
IS months old, they were turned into the
corn fields, which had been loosely bar
Vested and in which between the rows
had been planted black-eyed peas. Upon
these and the refuse corn they grew fat.
Then they were taken up and fed On Sc
iected corn, the ears of which must be
hard and perfect. until Christmas, when
they were killed and cured. the curing
was done by sailing the hams in brine and
Then hanging them up in smoke house
made for the purpose and smoking them
for several months with fires made OF
hickory chips. After they had been we'll
smoked they were taken down and rubbed
I'll over with sugar. The fat was now like
white candy In appearance and the hams
we're ready for use.
"While my father was in the White
House We never thought of cooking slics
of ham. The me ATS were always cooked
in joints, and ham. saddle of mutton
or leg Of lamb was never cut before it
came to the table. When you sat down to
the table the meats were served up on it
and you could see wat you were to eat.
at the proper stage the Carver tuDK each
J0lnt from the table and bpre it to a side
table, where 1t was cut up and served with
i.s appropriate vegetable. President Ty-
lsr's style of living was that of an English
gentleman Of the present day. His meals
were served on the Virginia plan, he
Maintaining the same customs at the
White House as on his Virginia estate.
fpaniel Webster used to say the only
.ouble with my fathers table was the
lfofuseness with which everything was
aeryed. '-Frank g. Carpenter in Lippia
TITS Magazine.