The Plate Debate: Candidates Favorite Foods

By Shawn McKee
Staff Writer

The election is right around the corner, and America is preparing to vote for their favorite candidate. While some voters may choose their nominee based on personality, party lines or their stance on important issues, we do it a little differently here at eDiets.

We think the president should be chosen based on his favorite foods. Sound silly? Well, you can tell a lot about someone by what they eat. As French lawyer, author and gastronome Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826) once said, "Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are."

Hail to the Chef

Barack Obama's favorite food to cook is chili; he's been making it since college and he even shared the Obama family chili recipe with Good Morning America. It sounds like the perfect treat on a cold Chicago night. There's nothing more American than chili, right?

John McCain has been known to break out the grill and cook for guests at his Arizona home as one of the ways he relaxes after campaigning. This grill maverick uses a dry rub for baby back ribs that's straight out of the Wild, Wild West.

Kitchen Table Politics

Since both men probably have little time to cook their favorite foods lately, what are they eating? Both sides can come across the aisle to agree on one thing: Pizza is good. McCain takes his slice with pepperoni and onions while Obama prefers cheese or Margherita, according to campaign insiders.

Beyond grabbing a quick slice at a place called the Italian Fiesta Pizzeria (which is kind of a strange name), Obama also enjoys Mexican food from a place called Topolobampo. He can also be found chomping on heart-healthy nuts and veggies, especially broccoli and spinach. Obama doesn't like mayonnaise.

McCain and Obama not only agree on pizza, but they also have similar tastes. McCain enjoys Tex-Mex from a place called Tee Pee, according to a spokeswoman for the McCain campaign. He also enjoys shrimp, doughnuts and, of course, barbeque. McCain admits, however, that "I don't do too well with vegetables."

So there you have it! That's everything you need to know about the presidential candidates. Well, maybe not everything you need to know, but everything you need to know to vote for our unofficial presidential food poll!

Hungry? Here's Barack Obama's family chili recipe:

Ingredients:
1 large onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
Several cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground turkey or beef
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground oregano
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon ground basil
1 tablespoon chili powder
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Several tomatoes, depending on size, chopped
1 can red kidney beans


Directions:
Saute onions, green pepper and garlic in olive oil until soft.
Add ground meat and brown.
Combine spices together into a mixture, then add to ground meat.
Add red wine vinegar.
Add tomatoes and let simmer, until tomatoes cook down.
Add kidney beans and cook for a few more minutes.
Serve over white or brown rice.
Garnish with grated cheddar cheese, onions and sour cream.

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Try John McCain's recipe for dry rub and be a grill maverick in your own backyard.

Dry Rub:
1/3 part Garlic Powder
1/3 part Salt
1/3 part Pepper
3 lemons

Directions:
Turn the grill down to low temperature.
Mix together garlic powder, salt and pepper. Then cover both sides of the ribs with that.
Grill ribs, bone side down, for 90 percent of the time. It will take about an hour to an hour and a half. Squeeze the lemon on it frequently, because that makes it taste a lot better.

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BON APPETIT!----and Be Sure To VOTE!
Jacques