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.
Minneapolis-St. Paul and Upper Midwest Food Magazine // Feasting on the Bounty of the Upper Midwest