Dinner at Mr. Jefferson's : Three Men, Five Great Wines, and the Evening That Changed America

by Cerami, Charles

• ISBN13: 9780470083062
• ISBN10: 0470083069
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2008-02-05
• Publisher: Wiley

Summary

The Meal That Saved The Republic Only two guests were invited to what was arguably the most elegant, sumptuous, and important dinner party that Thomas Jefferson ever hosted. Each course was prepared and laid out in advance so that no servants would enter the dining room to disrupt conversation and overhear random remarks, which they might later repeat to others. Privacy was imperative. Jefferson believed that the very future of the United States of America depended on convincing Alexander Hamilton to agree to a compromise he and Madison were proposing on two surging issues that threatened to tear the young republic apart. Plying his guests with fine wine and exquisite cuisine that only a former ambassador to France could provide, Jefferson set the stage for a compromise that enabled the federal government to pay its debts, both domestic and foreign, and make the American dollar "as good as gold." In Dinner at Mr. Jefferson's, you'll discover the little-known story behind this pivotal evening in American history, complete with wine lists, recipes, and wonderful illustrations of 1790s New York, then the nation's capital. It is a feast not to be missed for lovers of American history, fine dining, and a compelling true story well told.

Author Biography

Charles A. Cerami is the author of several popular histories, including the New York Times extended bestseller Jefferson's Great Gamble, Young Patriots, Benjamin Banneker, and ten other books. He was formerly the foreign affairs editor at the Kiplinger Washington Editors, where he oversaw international subjects for the company's half-dozen weekly publications as well as for Changing Times. His articles have been published in the Atlantic Monthly, Playboy, the New York Times, and Foreign Policy.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. ix
Introduction	p. 1
Before the Clash	p. 3
An Old Friend's Bombshell	p. 15
The Mounting Anger	p. 27
The Radical Conservative	p. 41
Aggressive Lobbying	p. 51
Thoughts of Breaking Up	p. 61
Jefferson's Awakening	p. 75
A Country without a Capital	p. 85
Doubters and Believers	p. 95
Nearing a Decision on the Capital	p. 107
That Day on the Street	p. 117
Dinner at Secretary Jefferson's	p. 125
The Philadelphia Story	p. 139
Doubts Settled, Doubts Revived	p. 149
Hamilton the Unstoppable?	p. 159
Before the Fall	p. 171
From Brilliance to Disaster	p. 179
The Disappearing Cabinet	p. 193
One Heart and One Mind	p. 209
The Jefferson Factor	p. 221
Recipes from Monticello's Kitchen	p. 229
Alexander Hamilton's Letter to New Coast Guard Officers	p. 239
Notes	p. 245
Bibliography	p. 257
Index	p. 261
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