House Bean Soup

The U.S Congress has some unusual traditions, one of which is that the U.S. House of Representatives Restaurant always has bean soup on the menu. Details from the Congressional Archives:

A common item in the U.S. House of Representatives even before the turn of the 20th century, bean soup became a permanent fixture in the institution when Speaker Joe Cannon of Illinois discovered that his favorite meal had not been prepared by the kitchen staff on a hot, summer day in 1904. Dismayed by the omission, the Speaker directed that bean soup be served in the House every day, regardless of the weather. More than a century after Speaker Cannon’s decree, bean soup remains on the menu in the House Restaurant, making it one of the more longstanding and famous traditions in the House.

Back page of the 1955 House Restaurant Menu

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Posted By: Alex - Mon May 02, 2022
Category: Food | Politics

Comments

Sometime back, I came across a can of soup in a grocery labeled "US House of Representatives Bean Soup," so I bought it. Very bland. It wasn't Campbell's, as I recall.

Posted by Virtual in Carnate on 05/02/22 at 02:43 PM

@Virtual: the recipe show looks very bland to me, as well. I've made bean soup myself, but never this uninspired.

Posted by Richard Bos on 05/07/22 at 10:35 AM

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