The Odd Myth About Dolley Madison And Oyster Ice Cream

Spilling the tea has been a part of the American fiber since that first colony set up shop. Telling stories about dresses worn and food eaten is the type of gossip that fueled polite society; however, one tale that may need a little re-examining starts with Dolley Madison and oyster ice cream. According to the prevailing scuttlebutt, the First Lady served this frozen treat with a seafood vibe at the White House during her husband's presidency. But before you get sucked into this whale of a tale, it is important to separate facts from fiction.

First, what is oyster ice cream, and is it even real? Oyster ice cream is, indeed, real, but it's not like your typical chocolate, vanilla, cookie dough, or any of the most popular ice creams in America. In fact, it isn't sweet at all. It's described as a creamy soup where the oysters have been soaked in a warm, spicy, and creamy bath. The oysters are then strained, and the soup is cooled and churned until it is thick, like ice cream. Some iterations add herbs and even egg yolks to give it a custard-like consistency. It's served frozen, just like any other ice cream.

So, back to the story of Dolley Madison and this briny dessert. Sure, she was a known fan of ice cream, but when it comes to U.S. Presidents and their favorite flavor of ice cream, it's a bit of a head scratcher as to how this fish tale got started. Or is it? In politics, perception is everything, and the First Lady just so happened to be friends with the author of the only verifiable source that oyster ice cream was a thing in those days. Mary Randolph, whose cookbook, "The Virginia House-Wife," contains this recipe, was in Dolley's inner circle and often visited the Madisons' Montpelier home. In 1825, she even sent James Madison the second edition of her cookbook.

But despite her friendship with Randolph and a logical leap to believe she would try making the recipes in this cookbook, there don't appear to be any menus or newspaper articles in existence that verify that Dolley actually made and served this ice cream. Still, it is a recipe that has captured modern-day culinary enthusiasts' interests. Even José Andrés featured oyster ice cream at his now-closed America Eats Tavern in Washington, D.C., which was a collab between the chef and the National Archives. Andres told NPR, if you are going to make it, be sure to serve it topped with "a single raw oyster on the half-shell."