Load It Up! Taft liked his fried foods.
WASHINGTON DC (Special to TSD AfterDark) Republican William Howard Taft, the 27th President of the United States, was the heaviest president the nation has known. Weighing in at an estimated 350 pounds, the 6 foot tall Taft was a devotee of fried foods and is said to have loved hamburgers later in life. He temporarily abolished the President’s Council on Physical Fitness, using the money instead to purchase lard.
White House chef, Charles W. Latimer worked exclusively for Taft during and after his presidency, and over the course of three months perfected the William Howard Taft Bacon Triple Cheeseburger in 1924. No sitting president tried the sandwich, except for Bill Clinton.
Nearly a pound of fatty, ground chuck is hand pressed into three patties and fried in lard. Meanwhile four large slabs of thick-cut bacon are placed on the griddle and fried to a crisp. Once the ground chuck is at medium, three slices of cheddar cheese are placed on patties and melted. Everything is then layered onto a buttered bun with caramelized onions and mayonnaise.
It is said that Taft demanded one on his deathbed. Happy President’s Day!