Can you guess these historical figures’ last meals?
Every day, politicians, celebrities, and other well-known people die—sometimes suddenly, at a young age, and other times, after leading incredibly long lives. Famous people’s last moments, particularly those who pass away suddenly, are frequently of interest to both historians and their contemporaries.
Learning more about these final events, whether they are the last locations that historical figures visited or the last people that well-known celebrities spoke to, may bring comfort, a sense of familiarity, or some understanding.
Historical figures’ last meals also reveal intriguing details about their last moments. What was the last meal Abraham Lincoln had before visiting Ford’s Theatre? On the day Princess Diana passed away, what was served?
These are well-known, and occasionally, there are even recipes for them. Examine some of the foods consumed by historical figures before their deaths and select those that seem like delectable farewell meals.
Abraham Lincoln: roast Virginia fowl with chestnut dressing
In keeping with the White House’s customs at the time, President Abraham Lincoln and his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, ate simple meals. John Hay, his secretary, characterized Lincoln as “one of the most abstemious of men; the pleasures of the table had few attractions for him.” Lincoln didn’t really prioritize food in general.
Mary, therefore, made an effort to lure her husband in with comforting, hearty dishes that she knew he would like. She ordered the White House kitchen to prepare stuffing, baked yams, cauliflower with cheese sauce, roasted poultry, and mock turtle soup on April 14, 1865.
Lincoln was so focused on a book that it took a while to convince him to eat. He finally started his meal around 7:00 p.m. He arrived at Ford’s Theatre to watch “Our American Cousin” an hour and a half later.
John Lennon: corned beef sandwich
Our next stop when it comes to historical figures’ last meals is at John Lennon’s. Despite his tremendous success with his band, John Lennon was still a simple person who never forgot to indulge in good food.
That’s why, before going to a recording session in New York on December 8, 1980, John Lennon stopped at the Stage Deli. Lennon and Yoko Ono went to the Hit Factory to work on a song called “Walking on Thin Ice.” Before they did so, Lennon ordered a corned beef sandwich and hot tea, according to his manager, Gill Kashkin.
Ono suggested that when Lennon left the studio that night, they get food (at the Stage Deli, according to some sources), but the singer chose to go home instead. He had to see his son Sean “before he went to sleep.” That night, Mark Chapman shot and killed John Lennon on his way home.
Ernest Hemingway: New York strip steak and a baked potato
The third famous figure we will talk about is the famous author Ernest Hemingway. He ate at Michel’s Christiania Restaurant in Ketchum, Idaho, the night before he died. He got a New York strip steak, a baked potato, a Caesar salad, and a glass of red wine for himself and his wife.
“He didn’t act any differently that night,” said the waitress who served him. He sat down very still. He was always a very kind man; that’s all I knew about him. This was his last meal because a few hours later, Hemingway took his life.
Frank Sinatra: grilled cheese sandwich
Frank Sinatra woke up at his home in Palm Springs, California, in the late morning or early afternoon of May 14, 1998. The man lived there with his fourth wife, Barbara Blakely Marx. She reportedly told him to eat his grilled cheese sandwich for lunch by the pool.
There were many days when Sinatra ate grilled cheese sandwiches. Last May 14, he didn’t finish his meal. A few hours later, he had his second heart attack. He was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, but he did not make it.
Elvis Presley: Ice Cream And Cookies
Among all these famous historical figures, there is also the charming Elvis Presley. Known for his amazing music that made women pass out during his gigs, Presley had a life that many will envy. But when it comes to his food choices, not so much.
People have noticed that Elvis Presley’s eating habits were a bit strange and may have been associated with being overweight. There were both salty and sweet foods that Elvis liked. He enjoyed famous treats like peanut butter and banana sandwiches. He spent the day with his daughter Lisa Marie on August 15, 1977, and then ate one of his favorite meals, spaghetti and meatballs, for dinner.
On April 16, early in the morning, Presley pulled off one of his famous all-nighters. Around 4 a.m., he ate ice cream and cookies (maybe four scoops and six cookies), played racquetball, and went to the bathroom before going to bed. A few hours later, investigators discovered Presley’s body in the bathroom.
John F. Kennedy: soft-boiled eggs, toast, juice, and coffee
As you probably know, on the night before he died, President John F. Kennedy and his wife, Jacqueline, went to a banquet. The meal of chicken, rolls, green beans, and pumpkin pie was served to more than 3,000 people. It was “probably the largest seated dinner ever held in Texas.”
That same evening, the Kennedys departed for Fort Worth, where they stayed at the Hilton Fort Worth Hotel. In downtown Fort Worth on the morning of November 22, 1963, President Kennedy spoke to a small group of people before going to a breakfast event at the Hotel Texas. At 8 a.m., a large crowd arrived and received service.
As they sat down at the head table, the Kennedys were offered “coffee, orange juice, two boiled (five-minute) eggs, some toast, and jam on the side.”
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Kurt Cobain: bananas dulce
The famous Nirvana singer, Kurt Cobain, was found dead with a note. The last meal anyone knew about him was two days ago at one of his favorite Mexican restaurants. On the evening of April 3, Cobain and two friends went to the Cactus restaurant in Seattle. They were said to have been high when they got there.
According to Bret Chatalas, co-owner of Cactus, the group sat outside, ordered dessert, and talked about going to the movies. Bananas Dulce, which is still on the Cactus menu, was their favorite dessert. They wouldn’t take Cobain’s credit card, so he had to write a check to pay for their food. Because Cobain had just gotten out of rehab, his wife, Courtney Love, had taken away his credit cards.
Some say that while Cobain was writing his note, he drank root beer and smoked cigarettes, which could have been the last things he ate or drank.
Diana, Princess of Wales: Omelet and Dover sole
Princess Diana and her friend, Dodi Fayed, had their last dinner together at Paris’s L’Espadon restaurant on the evening of her death in August 1997. There is L’Espadon in the Ritz Hotel, which is owned by Fayed’s father. They tried to eat at the restaurant, but there were too many people looking and taking pictures, so they had to eat in their hotel room.
The restaurant said that Fayed ordered grilled turbot(a type of fish), while Diana, on the other hand, had an asparagus and mushroom omelet as an appetizer and Dover sole as her main dish. The Princess of Wales ate vegetable tempura with her fish.
You may also want to check out: 9 Famous Personalities and the Stories Behind Their Nicknames.
