John F. Kennedy's Favorite Food

New England clam chowder was said to be a favorite of John F. Kennedy's.

Though Kennedy was Irish-Catholic, chowder actually comes from the tradition of French fishermen hundreds of years ago. After returning from a day of fishing, French fishermen tossed their day's catch into a huge copper pot, which then fed the entire village. La Chaudière included fish and shellfish.

New England clam chowder, loosely based on La Chaudière, is mainly made up of clams and salt pork (or bacon).

Sailing near Massachusetts was one of Kennedy's favorite activities, and Boston's Union Oyster House, which has been around since 1826, has a commemorative plaque for JFK at the Kennedy Booth, where the president apparently enjoyed bowls of clam chowder and lobster stew.

According to John R. Hanny, author of Secrets from the White House Kitchens, Kennedy used to play tag with his son, John F. Kennedy Jr., and would often chase him through one of the White House's kitchens. As he was running through, he'd stick his finger in a pot to taste what was cooking. "If he came back and stuck two fingers in, you'd know you did a good days work," says Hanny.

Check out the slideshow below for more about U.S. Presidents and their favorite foods.

Image via the John F. Kennedy Library, Boston, MA.