A year and a half ago, Donnie Dodson set out to cook, and then rate, every United States president’s favorite meal – just for fun. Like any recent college graduate, he opted to chronicle the venture on TikTok, under the moniker "Eats History."
His first video, a recreation of former President George Washington’s beloved hoecakes, essentially a dry cornmeal pancake “slathered in honey and butter,” garnered 1.6 million views within 24 hours.
Today, with more than 200 videos and counting, Dodson is among a small cohort of social media influencers who’ve managed to attract millions of followers by recreating recipes from the past.
The secret to success, Dodson says, isn’t about the dishes he chooses to cook; it’s about the stories behind the meals.
Do it yourself: Colonial dishes that might taste good on your holiday table
