A Taste for Terror and Toast
History’s most notorious figures might've had questionable morals, but they still had to eat three times a day. You might expect a diet of pure decadence or perhaps something dark and ominous, yet their actual cravings might surprise you. With that in mind, here are 20 meals from the dinner tables of the terrible.
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1. Caligula’s Golden Bread
This Roman emperor was certifiably insane and outrageously vain. He wanted his riches to literally be consumed by him. Historians claim that he had his cooks dust his bread and meat with gold flakes during wild parties. He’d make guests drink pearls with vinegar just to show off how wealthy he was.
2. Pol Pot’s Toasted Cobra
The dictator of Cambodia wasn’t always down with peasant cuisine, despite what he may have publicly said. He is rumored to have eaten snake stew, but his favorite snack was grilled cobra. With a side of chilled white wine, of course.
3. Richard III’s Roasted Heron
Scientists discovered that England’s King Richard III dramatically changed his diet when he became ruler. He started feasting on ritzy birds such as herons and egrets that were reserved for royalty alone. His intake of red wine also increased significantly.
4. Kim Jong-il’s Shark Fin Soup
The former North Korean leader was known for having incredibly expensive and elitist tastes.
He developed an addiction to shark fin soup, which he sometimes ate twice a day to improve energy. He’d also have servants fluff his pillows and inspect his rice for consistency and color.
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5. Benito Mussolini’s Garlic Salad
Italy’s fascist dictator believed French cuisine was very bad for one’s heart. He opted to fill up on bowls of raw garlic chopped up with oil and lemon juice instead. His wife often complained about his breath, but he insisted the meal kept his cardiovascular system in top shape.
6. Nicolae Ceaușescu’s Whole Carp
Romania’s paranoid tyrant refused to eat unless he personally cooked the food himself. He especially enjoyed eating a whole carp with its skin on after bathing it in tomato sauce. Whenever he traveled abroad, he always had large quantities of carp stored in refrigerators nearby.
7. Joseph Stalin’s Satsivi
Stalin was known for forcing his dinner guests to engage in lengthy conversation long into the night. He adored chicken in walnut sauce, which is a Georgian specialty topped with a savory walnut sauce.
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8. Mao Zedong’s Braised Pork Belly
“Mao’s Red Braised Pork” is a Chinese dish consisting of fatty pork cooked in a sugar glaze. Mao believed the excessive consumption of fat would enhance mental capacity and lead to clearer thoughts. This delicious meal can still be found throughout China because he loved it so much.
9. François Duvalier’s Light Broth
"Papa Doc" of Haiti suffered from many health issues, including diabetes and heart problems. These conditions prevented him from enjoying most foods, so he survived on chicken broth and saltines. It’s a stark contrast to the terrifying image he projected to the rest of the world.
10. Ferdinand Marcos’s Adobo
The Filipino president had a strong affinity for Philippine cuisine, chicken adobo to be exact. Pork adobo was his favorite, but he’d settle for chicken if available. He preferred to eat it with rice.
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11. Muammar Gaddafi’s Camel Meat
Libya’s long-time ruler stayed true to his Bedouin roots by frequently dining on camel meat and couscous. He especially enjoyed the hump of the camel, which is considered a delicacy because of its high fat content. You might find it strange, but he also drank camel milk daily for what he claimed were its immense health benefits.
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12. Saddam Hussein’s Masgouf
The Iraqi leader was quite picky about his fish and preferred it caught fresh from the Tigris River. His favorite meal was masgouf, which involves split-open carp seasoned with salt and flour, then grilled vertically over an open fire. He’d reportedly supervise the grilling process himself.
13. Jean-Bédel Bokassa’s Rare Steaks
The Central African Republic’s self-proclaimed emperor lived a life of staggering luxury and bizarre rumors. He had a penchant for expensive French cuisine, particularly steaks served extremely rare and seasoned with imported spices.
He’d eat meals off gold plates as peasants cried over his oppressive reign.
14. Francisco Franco’s Paella
The Generalissimo of Spain liked to keep things pretty tame and down to earth when it came to his lunch. He requested that they always serve him the same Valencian rice dish packed with chicken, rabbit, and green beans. Franco made himself cozy at his table as he tormented Spain.
15. King John’s Peaches and Cider
This medieval English king, famous for the Magna Carta, reportedly ate himself into an early grave. He had an uncontrollable craving for fresh peaches and jugs of hard cider, which didn't sit well with his digestive system. You could say his final meal of fruit and booze was quite literally the cause of his passing.
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16. Catherine de' Medici’s Pies
While she brought many culinary innovations to France, this Italian-born queen had some truly odd favorites. She was obsessed with kidneys, often having them prepared in elaborate pies or stews. You’d find her introducing forks to the French court while simultaneously snacking on the crests of roosters.
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17. Ivan the Terrible’s Wild Game
Russia’s fearsome czar wasn’t playing around when it came to cooking up a delicious banquet. He loved having swans and peacocks cooked for him intact so he could show off their feathers. You’d be intimidated by the sheer scale of the meat being carved at his table.
18. Nero’s Leek Soup
Nero wanted his entire world to revolve around him, even his diet.
He started forcing his people to eat meals of boiled leeks smothered in olive oil. Supposedly, this would help his singing abilities, which he was constantly working on in private.
19. Adolf’s Stuffed Pigeons
While he famously touted a vegetarian lifestyle later in life, the German dictator couldn't always resist a plate of "squab". He specifically loved young pigeons stuffed with tongue, liver, and pistachios. You’d find him indulging in this rich poultry dish long before he committed to his more public-facing diet of grains and vegetables.
20. Idi Amin’s Roasted Goat
The former Ugandan president fed himself into legend by eating nothing but Ugandan staples. His absolute favorite meal of all time was roasted goat served with cassava and millet bread. It's said he’d eat with his hands to stay connected to his heritage, even as he lived a life of extreme excess.
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