It's Presidents Day: Appoint Yourself Commander in Chef!

SECRETS FROM THE WHITE HOUSE KITCHENS

Newly-Updated White House Cookbook Helps You Cook Up Generations of First Family Favorites Right At Home

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Feb 16, 2011, 06:28 ET

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., Feb. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Have you ever wondered what it would be like to dine in the White House? This Presidents Day you can do just that with the newly-released updated edition of Secrets from the White House Kitchens.

The new book from LaMarque Publications is part cookbook, part delicious culinary history lesson. Noted author and Master Chef John R. Hanny weaves memories of his own days as a visiting chef at the White House with historical tidbits and a unique collection of recipes reflect Presidential tastes from FDR to Obama.

Hanny's fascinating "been there, cooked that" culinary career offers a rare window into a wide array of Presidential preferences, offering easy-to-cook recipes that range from the haute cuisine of the Reagan years to the country casual taste of the Eisenhowers to President Obama's own "Famous Chili Recipe" and more.

As adept with a story as he is with a spatula, John R. Hanny has also parlayed his cooking and talking talents into a front row seat to some of history's most indelible moments. For instance, he cooked and delivered food to President Kennedy and his team in the Situation Room during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and just a year later, flew with the President to Dallas on Air Force One on November 22, 1963.

He also was witness to the everyday life around the White House and beyond, from overseeing supersized pig roast at LBJ's beloved ranch to creating a last-minute cookie concoction that became a Nixon favorite.

"I am still amazed at the people I have had a chance to meet and the things I have been able to see," Hanny said. "And I am convinced none of it would have happened if fate had not brought me to those White House doors in 1962. It's an honor to share these recipes and these glimpses of history with readers in Secrets from the White House Kitchens."

Secrets from the White House Kitchens, complete with beautiful images of its delectable dishes, is available at http://www.secretsfromthewhitehousekitchens.com, Amazon.com, Borders, Barnes & Noble, and at independent bookstores throughout America.