Although Jimmy Carter has earned numerous accolades, including a Nobel Prize, his humble Georgia roots influenced his preferred food choices. When the elder statesman spoke to Oprah, he revealed some simple menu preferences that the White House chefs were happy to fulfill.

President Carter said that country food was his and his family's preference. While that broad-based term could go in many directions, it appears that his simple farmer tastes were reflected in a variety of favorite dishes.

Classic Southern fare, like grits, ham with redeye gravy, and even collard greens, seemed to fill the table during his tenure. That "barbecue diplomacy" was even seen during a May 1979 Japanese Prime Minister Masayoshi Ōhira state dinner where American classic dishes were served to the visiting diplomat.