The latest from Twitter: @BlueOxCoffeeCompany plugs their peppermint mocha garnished with a Thin Mint from the Girl Scouts (it’s that time of year!), @ngonbistro announces their Valentine’s Day tasting menu, @RogueChocolate marvels that every one of their bars is hand-inspected by the founder himself, and @france44 is serving a decadent-sounding fig salami with blue cheese.
Five decades ago, amid the increasing throes of the Cold War, farmer / politician / seed producer Roswell Garst promoted agricultural exchanges (mainly corn growing tips) with the Soviet Union. Garst invited Nikita Khrushchev to Iowa and the Soviet leader took him up on the invitation. On Sep. 22, 1959, dinner was served for Khrushchev at Hotel Fort Des Moines. The menu [see it as a PDF] featured split pea soup, prime ribs of corn-fed beef, and lattice-topped peach pie.








