Food has played a starring role in the lives of so many famous or infamous people. Diplomatic agreements have been negotiated over elaborate feasts, novels have been fueled by strong coffee, and marriages have ended over a meal gone bad.
In What the Great Ate, brothers Matthew and Mark Jacob have cooked up a bountiful sampling of the peculiar culinary likes, dislikes, habits, and attitudes of famous — and often notorious — figures throughout history.
In this photo from the 1920s, First Lady Grace Coolidge samples a cookie that was made by a Girl Scout troop in New York State. President Calvin Coolidge made derisive comments about his wife's kitchen skills.
Rube Waddell was one of baseball's outstanding pitchers during the early 1900s. But he had a habit that greatly aggravated his catcher and roommate — eating animal crackers in bed. The team's owner got Waddell to sign a contract in which the pitcher agreed to cease this annoying habit.
Monday, October 29, 2012 at 09:59PM 
Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi propaganda minister, was born on this day in 1897. He was a man focused on fascism, not food. His press aide, Wilfred Van Oven, recalled that dinner was typically delayed because Goebbels preferred to engage in lengthy conversation before eating. Goebbels usually ate lunch on the late side — at two o’clock in the afternoon — and his favorite vegetable was spinach.
Monday, October 22, 2012 at 06:32AM Mark Jacob has co-written a new book that is highlighted on the New York History blog's website. Mark co-wrote A Treacherous Beauty with Stephen H. Case. It tells the unknown story of the woman behind Benedict Arnold's conspiracy -- his 2nd wife, Peggy Shippen.
You can learn more about it or purchase the book at Amazon. Mark and Stephen discussed their book in October 2012 at a public event that was aired by C-SPAN.
Mark Jacob, Peggy Shippen, Treacherous Beauty Saturday, September 29, 2012 at 10:24PM 
The British-born poet W.H. Auden died on this date in 1973. During the years that Auden lived with his domestic partner, Chester Kallman, the task of cooking was in Kallman’s able hands. When the couple got into a spat, the kitchen sometimes became a storm cellar — the place where Kallman escaped Auden’s fury. “Once when [W.H.] was thundery about some minor transgression,” recalled a friend of the couple, “I saw Chester retreat to stir the soup five times during the conversation.”
On another occasion, Kallman had forgotten to complete an errand for Auden, and the poet became angry. “He was furious,” said Kallman. “I fled into the kitchen until the clouds passed. Kitchens are a great invention.”
Sunday, September 23, 2012 at 09:14PM 
According to his physician, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is a "vigorous man who takes excellent care" of his health. What his doctor didn't say was whether the GOP hopeful's favorite foods benefit or detract from his physical condition.
The Los Angeles Times reports that Romney loves to eat peanut butter-and-honey sandwiches, and he also craves peanut M&M candies. The newspaper also noted the Republican candidate celebrated his 65th birthday in March by devouring his wife's "meatloaf cakes."
Romney, honey, peanut butter, sandwich Monday, September 17, 2012 at 09:33PM 
"Cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education," declared Mark Twain.
Twain, cabbage, cauliflower